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Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, and features.enThe Walking Dead: The Final Season Has Restarted Development At Skybound Games
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/19/the-walking-dead-the-final-season-has-restarted-development-at-skybound-games
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</article><p>The long and winding tale of Telltale's closure has sprouted another branch as Skybound Games has confirmed that development has restarted on the game today. After Telltale Games closed its doors in the middle of The Walking Dead's final season, Skybound announced they would be <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/06/skybound-games-finishing-telltales-the-walking-dead">finishing up the final two episodes in early October</a> using Telltale's former developers.</p>
<p>"After Telltale shut its doors, the game was, unfortunately, unable to be worked on and hence the release dates of Episodes 3 and 4 have been delayed," <a href="https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/news-events/an-update-on-the-final-season-of-telltales-the-walking-dead/">Skybound wrote in a blog post today</a>. "But, we’re excited to let you know that many of the talented, passionate team members who originally worked on the game are resuming development efforts today!"</p>
<p>The phrasing of "most of the team members" certainly implies that it is not the entire team from Telltale, which does make sense. Many were probably not able to take temporary work to finish the final two episodes, though Skybound's CEO has said <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/18/skybound-ceo-wants-the-walking-dead-finale-to-be-entirely-developed-by-former-telltale">he wanted the game to be entirely developed by former Telltale staff</a>. It is not clear if the team will be retained after the two episodes are finished.</p>
<p>The final season will go off sale for a few days while it transitions to Skybound. Those who have payed for the season already won't have to pay again and the episodes will simply populate in their accounts as if Telltale had never closed.</p>
<p>Skybound was vague about when the remaining two episodes would come, but considering how awkward the transition would assuredly have to be, it's extremely unlikely we'll see hide nor hair of episodes 3 and 4 in 2019. Telltale recently began procedures to <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/14/older-telltale-games-titles-being-removed-from-sale-as-company-closes">file bankruptcy and liquidate its remaining assets</a>.</p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 18:35:00 CSTImran Khan91426Final Aquaman Trailer Is A Day At The Water Park
https://www.gameinformer.com/gamer-culture/2018/11/19/final-aquaman-trailer-is-a-day-at-the-water-park
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</article><p>DC is hoping to find their footing again with the newest slate of comic book movies, with <em>Aquaman</em> leading the charge. Warner Bros. released <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/gamer-culture/2018/10/05/new-extended-trailer-shows-off-aquamans-traditional-green-and-gold-look">a hefty amount of footage along with the last trailer</a>, and this final trailer clock in at less than half the time, but still has the impact of war.</p>
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<p>After several movies in the DC cinematic universe, <em>Aquaman </em>represents a bit of a lightening of the one while trying to better preserve the larger impact of its tone, which is fairly unique among modern superhero movies. He also has gold armor, so you know Aquaman cares about looking good.</p>
<p><em>Aquaman </em>hits theaters on December 21.</p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:30:00 CSTImran Khan91424Sunset Overdrive Director Joining Microsoft's Internal Studio The Initiative
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/19/sunset-overdrive-director-joining-microsofts-internal-studio-the-initiative
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</article><p>At E3 earlier this year, Phil Spencer announced an intention to bolster Microsoft's internal development ranks with a number of key acquisitions and <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/e3-2018/2018/06/10/new-microsoft-internal-studio-announced-undead-labs-ninja-theory-playground">one studio being built from the ground up</a>. That new studio is called The Initiative, which Microsoft hinted would be working on narrative games under ex-Crystal Dynamics chief David Gallagher. After <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/08/13/microsoft-studio-the-initiative-hires-red-dead-redemption-writer-rise-of-the-tomb-raider">several high-profile hires</a>, the studio seems to have made another major one: Insomniac's Drew Murray.</p>
<p>Murray has been key in several of Insomniac's games through 2015, including being a designer on all three Resistance games up to lead designer on Resistance 3 and directing the Xbox One-exclusive Sunset Overdrive. The developer posted about starting a new job at The Initiative today.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Moments away from starting my new job at <a href="https://twitter.com/MSStudiosBlog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSStudiosBlog</a> The Initiative! <a href="https://t.co/NaMsH3Xytd">pic.twitter.com/NaMsH3Xytd</a></p>
— Drew Murray (@PlaidKnuckles) <a href="https://twitter.com/PlaidKnuckles/status/1064577454524661760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>We actually <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/index.php/games/resistance_3/b/ps3/archive/2011/07/15/insomniac-plays-resistance-3-39-s-first-30-minutes-with-us.aspx">played Resistance with Murray when he was still at Insomniac</a>, if you want to get into the head of Microsoft's newest developer</p>
<p>Microsoft is more than happy to publicize these hires as it speaks to their reformation of first-party software, a stable they more or less abandoned in the last six years. While it's still too early to know what The Initiative might be working on, the number of leads they're hiring indicates they might be staffing up for more than one project at once. We likely won't see hide nor hair of their first project, whatever that might be, until next generation.</p>
<p>Sunset Overdrive got <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/15/sunset-overdrive-is-officially-coming-to-pc-tomorrow">announced and released for PC last week</a>.</p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:00:00 CSTImran Khan91423The Sports Desk – Delay Of Game
https://www.gameinformer.com/the-sports-desk/2018/11/19/delay-of-game
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/19/9daa2a72/sd11.191500.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>Maybe it's just the megaphone effect of social media and various forums, but it seems like fans are angrier than ever about this year's crop of sports games. Are the titles that bad, has the frustration boiled over from previous years, or is something else entirely going on?</p>
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<p><span>I'd argue that it's all of the above. Even as games like NBA 2K19 added a mentorship system and NHL 19 revamped the scouting of its franchise mode, titles like FIFA 19 and Madden 19 largely stood still. M</span>any of these games still definitely have fun features, modes, or gameplay moments, but a building backup of legacy issues has worn many fans down to the bone, and if there are bugs, unreliable servers, furloughed features, or over/underpowered elements, the community is going to find out about them all and let the world know quickly and loudly. The natives are restless, as they say<span>.</span></p>
<p><span>One of the things that has exacerbated the situation is developers and publishers are treating launch day like it's just another stop on the game's ongoing evolution instead of a day celebrating a product that's putting its best effort forward.</span></p>
<p>The grueling yearly development schedule and the fact that companies have the luxury of dropping post-release updates online (ignoring those around the world with bad or non-existent online connections) makes release day less a deadline and more of another stop in an ongoing project. This, of course, recalls the endless debate about whether sports games should move off the annual schedule, but I want to bring up another point in the discussion – release dates. The fact that some series' launches are being pushed forward by as much as a month over successive years is odd given how important time is to the development of a game.</p>
<p>This console generation, Madden's release date has been pushed up 16 days from Madden 15 to Madden 19. NBA 2K has jumped up 31 days from NBA 2K15 to 2K19. The Pro Evolution Soccer series has gone from a traditional mid-September release to on at the end of August.</p>
<p>I can't prove that the creep of a few days or even weeks over a multi-year period has a cumulative, negative effect on the product – or that it does at all. However, in a larger sense, it bothers me that the release dates of some of these games are seemingly at the mercy of marketing.</p>
<p>In the case of Madden, I suspect EA wants to capitalize on the "Football is Coming!" pre-season hype to kickstart the game instead of waiting for the opening weekend, or perhaps to steer clear of Kickoff week entirely and to give the title its own space. NBA 2K and NHL also do this by coming out weeks before their real-life seasons start and perhaps to avoid the holiday blockbuster crush, but at what cost? Similarly, I wager Pro Evolution likes that it can get to market before FIFA hits at the end of September. But if this year PES 2019 came out a month later, could it have avoided the hit with the fanbase when <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/the-sports-desk/2018/10/29/hot-topics-the-fixes-fans-are-looking-for">the A.I. needed to be fixed via a post-release patch</a>? </p>
<p>With all due respect to the many people who work very hard on behalf of games in companies' various marketing departments, at the end of the day gamers don't care about marketing. They just want to enjoy the modes and gameplay without the bugs, online troubles, and other frustrations.</p>
<p>Maybe publishers should delay a yearly sports title if it needs it. Would prolonged, early beta periods with public test servers allow the teams to draw from a large amount of player data in order to monitor and adjust gameplay as well as handle/gauge traffic before launch?</p>
<p>For example, even putting aside for a second the gameplay <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/the-sports-desk/2018/11/12/whats-going-on-with-nhl-19">changes made to the NHL 19 beta for launch that have angered some fans</a>, perhaps a delay would have benefitted the title, which somehow picked up server problems after it was released into the wild that persist to this day.</p>
<p>I'm not even a marketing or supply distribution novice, but in terms of delaying a game, is a specific release date that worthwhile to set in stone (often many months in advance) when everyone already knows your annual, clockwork fall sports game is coming...in the fall? Would pushing back a few weeks for polish hurt? Other titles in other genres no less anticipated do this all the time and nobody cares as long as the game performs as expected.</p>
<p>Furthermore, I'd argue that sports games aren't like traditional games or other media where the first week of sales is make-or-break. The sports games routinely pop up in the NPD for weeks after release, get bumps corresponding to the sport's real-life playoffs, and in the case of fall titles, receive another wave when Christmas hits.<span> NBA 2K, Madden, and FIFA even sell well year-round.</span></p>
<p>At a minimum, I'd like to see release dates not keep creeping forward and for games' release dates to be based on when the product is ready and not an immovable spot on the calendar.</p>
<p>There are many reasons games have bugs, features don't work properly, or gameplay perfection is elusive. Given that game development always features myriad hurdles, I hope companies are looking at all options to help their teams deliver better quality to the fans<span> on launch day and not just after their frustration has already boiled over.</span></p>
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<h2>THE TICKER</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsac6bmL10A" target="_blank">Golf Club 2019's Disc Version Is Out Now</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/15/new-nhl-19-special-digital-edition-pays-homage-to-the-great-one">NHL 19 Gets Digital Gretzky Special Edition</a></p>
<p><a href="https://2kleague.nba.com/combine-info/" target="_blank">Details Announced For NBA 2K League's December Esports Combine</a></p>
<p><a href="https://theshownation.com/news/10050-stubs-sale-thanksgiving-equipment-and-collector-program" target="_blank">MLB The Show 18 Details Stubs Sale & Thanksgiving Plans</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/11/19/emls-2019" target="_blank">Three Teams Added To MLS' Esports League</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.codemasters.com/dirt-rally-2-0-day-one-retail-edition-and-pre-order-content-announced/" target="_blank">Pre-Order, Day-One & Deluxe Edition Details For Dirt Rally 2.0</a></p>
<p><a href="http://mb.cision.com/Main/15049/2671483/944358.pdf" target="_blank">Dakar Racing Series 'Under Evaluation' Says THQ Nordic</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92nMLE6YuP4" target="_blank">NBA 2K Mobile Is Out Now iOS (Soon for Android)</a></p>
</div></div>Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:23:30 CSTMatthew Kato91410Activision Defends Spyro Reignited Trilogy's Lack Of Subtitles
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/19/activision-defends-spyro-reignited-trilogys-lack-of-subtitles
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</article><p>When the Spyro games first released on the PlayStation in the late 90s, they lacked subtitle options for the game's cutscenes. This isn't too shocking, as voice acting on console games was still fairly nascent, and disability options were not often talked about. When the Reignited Trilogy, remakes of the first three games in the series, released last week, the game's 35 minutes of cutscenes also contained no subtitles despite 20 years of guidelines and best practices informing that decision.</p>
<p>While this in itself is an issue, and one that can be fixed with a patch or an update, Activision's response to questions on the subject seems to indicate they made a decision not to focus on subtitles. In a statement to <a href="http://www.gamepitt.co.uk/theres-something-missing-from-the-spyro-reignited-collection/">British video game outlet GamePitt</a>, Activision provided the following explanation:</p>
<p>"When Toys For Bob set out to make an awesome game collection, there were certain decisions that needed to be made throughout the process," Activision said. "The team remained committed to keep the integrity and legacy of Spyro that fans remembered intact. The game was built from the ground up using a new engine for the team (Unreal 4) and was localized in languages that had not previously been attempted by the studio. While there’s no industry standard for subtitles, the studio and Activision care about the fans' experience especially with respect to accessibility for people with different abilities, and will evaluate going forward."</p>
<p>The statement appears to say that Activision considered adding subtitles and decided it wasn't a priority. While the company is correct that there is no legal standard forcing video games to have subtitles, as such a guideline would be impossible to enforce, subtitles by and large are expected within most publisher-backed games. The statement does not close the door on adding subtitles in an update, but also does not really suggest it as a possibility, either.</p>
<p>While Activision noted that they are evaluating the problem going forward, it is worth noting that similar complaints were made with 2017's release of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which Activision also published and was similar in concept to the Spyro Reignited Trilogy. None of the original games in either trilogy had subtitles, but it seems surprising to have considered it and decided not to bother this many decades later.</p>
<p>It is worth watching The Game Maker's Toolkit video series by Mark Brown titled Designing For Disability, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/gamer-culture/2018/07/16/youtube-channel-game-makers-toolkit-debuts-series-about-accessibility">the episode about subtitles being specifically relevant</a>.</p>
<p>We also spoke to Spyro Reignited Trilogy's developers <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/02/22/subscribe-to-the-game-informer-show-on-itunes.aspx">Toys for Bob on the GI Show</a> last week, which you can watch below.</p>
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<div class="ourtake">I often just turn on subtitles so that I don't miss certain dialogue or because I'm keeping the volume low. For me, it's a minor annoyance, but an annoyance all the same. For some others, it means they literally cannot take in the dialogue at all. Activision is right; there is no industry standard here, but that is less of a defense for Activision and more of an indictment of the industry. Video game subtitles are harder than movies and TV shows because there's so many more interactive considerations to make, but that statement is strange, and it's one I bet they wish they hadn't put out.</div>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:55:00 CSTImran Khan91418Dead Or Alive 6 Introduces Electric Scientist NiCO
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/19/dead-or-alive-6-introduces-electric-scientist-nico
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</article><p>Koei Tecmo held a Dead or Alive tournament last night where the developer made new announcements for the game, including a new character by the name of NiCO. Dubbed the Lightning Technomancer, the inexplicably 18-year-old scientist shows off her story relevancy and fighting moves in the trailer. Before that, though, the footage also reintroduces Helena's half-sister Kokoro and also scientist Lisa back to the game.</p>
<p>Check out the trailer below.</p>
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<p>NiCO's glasses can be knocked off during the battle, much like most accessories characters wear. She's the second new character announced for the title, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/08/01/newcomer-diego-revealed-for-dead-or-alive-6">after Diego was revealed earlier this year in August</a>. Considering the proximity to launch, NiCO might be the last new character for the game, with the rest of the roster mostly being returning characters from Dead or Alive 5.</p>
<p>Dead or Alive 6 is releasing on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on February 15.</p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:05:00 CSTImran Khan91417How Does Blizzard Choose Which Game To Remaster Next?
https://www.gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2018/11/19/how-does-blizzard-choose-which-game-to-remaster-next
<p>While we've mainly been focusing on Warcraft III: Reforged with <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/warcraft3">our exclusive month of features</a>, with the video above we wanted to zoom out a bit and talk about one of the more interesting aspects of Blizzard these days: the relatively new classic games team. Last year the team released Starcraft: Remastered, in 2019 they'll be launching Warcraft III: Reforged, but what comes after that? While visiting the studio, we spoke with Warcraft III: Reforged lead environment artist Dave Berggren, lead producer Pete Stilwell, and lead designer Matt Morris about the team's subculture within Blizzard and their plans for the future.</p>
<p>Click on our banner below to enter our constantly updating hub of exclusive features on Warcraft III: Reforged.</p>
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</article>Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:00:00 CSTBen Hanson91416New Resident Evil 2 Footage Shows Claire Sneaking Past Lickers
https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2018/11/19/raccoon-city-blues
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</article><p>PlayStation Underground, Sony's official PlayStation news source, has put up new footage of Resident Evil 2, which they're calling Licker gameplay. That is definitely the most succinct name you can give it, as the 15-minute footage of Claire and Sherry stalking through the halls of the Raccoon City Police Department and meeting some real monsters beyond Lickers is a lot to take in. </p>
<p>You can check out the new footage below.</p>
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<p>One of the noticeable changes is how much the Lickers being blind seems to affect their gameplay now. In the original release of Resident Evil 2, the Lickers were blind in theory, but there was little practical way to take advantage of this. There were very few rooms where you could walk slowly without firing another shot to keep from alerting them, but the remake seems to design areas specifically to let you do this. </p>
<p>The footage also shows off the interesting gore tech and how it affects gameplay. At one point a zombie comes at Claire with his arms reaching for her and she shoots his hand. The zombie puts his arms down and the shot hand falls off a few seconds later.</p>
<p>Resident Evil 2 releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on January 25.</p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:05:00 CSTImran Khan91414Valve Addressed Fan Complaints Before The Artifact Beta Launched
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/19/valve-addressed-fan-complaints-before-the-artifact-beta-launched
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</article><p>The beta for Valve’s new Dota 2-inspired card game Artifact went up yesterday, and before it launched, many players weren’t happy with all that was being offered. In a <a href="https://playartifact.com/news/2535985526495756390" target="_blank">blog post</a>, Valve addressed some of these complaints and said that more features will be arriving before the game’s official launch.</p>
<p>Responding to three major complaints, Valve said they would add an option for players to draft with friends and a casual draft mode before the beta's launch. Initially there was no option to draft with friends, nor practice draft modes without spending an event ticket. The third complaint Valve addressed was players’ inability to recycle duplicate cards. In response, Valve said they’d implement a new system where players could recycle cards for event tickets.</p>
<p>Valve implemented the first two changes before the beta’s launch. The new recycling system is set to be implemented over the next week and half, along with further improvements. </p>
<p>The beta opened up yesterday for all players who redeemed a beta key or attended this year's Dota 2 International. Artifact launches officially on November 28.</p>
<p>For our first impressions of the game, go <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/games/artifact/b/pc/archive/2018/03/09/how-do-you-play-it-and-how-will-you-pay-for-it.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>, or check out our constantly-updating <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/product/artifact" target="_blank">news hub</a> for the latest on Valve's foray in the trading card game. </p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:28:24 CSTJP Gemborys91412Catch Up With The Horseman Of The Apocalypse In Darksiders III Intro Video
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/19/catch-up-with-the-horseman-of-the-apocalypse-in-darksiders-iii-intro-video
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</article><p>The third installment of the Darksiders series is coming out next week. In anticipation of the launch, THQ Nordic released a three-minute intro to prepare you for the battle. Watch the video below to remind yourself of the characters and the world before picking up the game.</p>
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<p>Darksiders III releases November 27 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Watch our <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/video-podcast/the-game-informer-show/2018/11/01/gi-show-red-dead-redemption-ii-smash-ultimate" target="_blank">Darksiders III interview with David Adams</a> to get the latest scoop on the game. You can also read about the two already-announced post-game DLC pieces for Darksiders III <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/11/two-post-launch-dlc-confirmed-for-darksiders-iii" target="_blank">here.</a> </p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-VvJdPxkoI&" target="_blank">THQ Nordic</a>]</em></p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 11:42:06 CSTJill Grodt91411New Gameplay Today – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's New Modes
https://www.gameinformer.com/video-feature/new-gameplay-today/2018/11/19/new-gameplay-today-super-smash-bros-ultimates-new-modes
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/19/5b92cc6e/smash-site.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>One of the last big releases of 2018 is sneaking up on us with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This mega crossover has steadily added new modes and characters since its full reveal at E3 this year, and we finally got the chance to check it all out.</p>
<p>Join us as we sample the new modes including Spirit Board, Adventure mode, and Classic mode (including a boss battle with Monster Hunter's Rathalos).</p>
<p>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available for Switch on December 7.</p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 10:00:00 CSTBrian Shea91373Get The Intel On Rainbow Six Siege's Operation Wind Bastion
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/19/get-the-intel-on-rainbow-six-sieges-operation-wind-bastion
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/19/73aeac01/rssoperationwb11.191500.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>Ubisoft has released details of Rainbow Six Siege's last season of Year 3 content: Operation Wind Bastion, which introduces a new Fortress map along with two new operators: Nomad and Kaid.</p>
<p>Take a look at the overview video above to get a rundown of the operators' capabilities as well as the map itself.</p>
<p>Ubisoft also says the season contains various quality-of-life improvements for users.</p>
<p>The content goes to the game's PC test server today before a full release <a href="https://www.pcgamesn.com/rainbow-six-siege/rainbow-six-siege-operation-wind-bastion-release-date" target="_blank">expected in early December</a>. At the time of this writing Ubisoft has not announced an official release date.</p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 09:32:09 CSTMatthew Kato91409Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Is A Crossover Event 20 Years In The Making
https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/super-smash-bros-ultimate/a-crossover-event-20-years-in-the-making
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</article><p>In 1999, an ambitious crossover game allowed players to experience the video game fights of their dreams. Who would win in an actual fight between Mario and Donkey Kong? Could Samus overtake her fellow space traveler Fox McCloud? What if in his travels, Link encounters Pikachu? These questions may or may not have entered your consciousness before Super Smash Bros. launched on Nintendo 64, but the idea of video game characters leaving their respective games to meet on a battlefield ignited players’ imaginations. Soon, players were fantasizing about what other characters could make their way into a sequel.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/super-smash-bros-ultimate/a-crossover-event-20-years-in-the-making">Read more...</a></p>
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 07:00:00 CSTBrian Shea91391Check Out A High Resolution, Updated Panoramic Illustration Featuring Every Character In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/18/check-out-a-high-resolution-updated-panoramic-illustration-featuring-every-character-in
<p>Over the course of the many Nintendo Directs and presentations in the lead up to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's release, Nintendo has updated a panoramic illustration with the reveal of each new character. With the full roster now known, Nintendo has released a version of the art with every single character in the game.</p>
<p>Even though we've watched the art steadily expand over the last few months, the final image is a sight to behold. It typically only flashes up on the screen for a few seconds at low resolution, but if you'd like to see (or download) a high resolution version, you can click the image below.</p>
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</article><p>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches on Nintendo Switch on December 7.</p>
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 11:00:00 CSTBrian Shea89767CBS To Air Fan-Voted 'Gamers' Choice Awards' Next Month
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/cbs-to-air-fan-voted-gamers-choice-awards-next-month
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/08/24/dd27a5f0/godofwarmimir.jpg" width="800" height="368" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><article class="embedded-entity"><div class="file file--type-image file--mimetype-image-jpeg file--view-mode-body-default-rendered">
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</article><p>CBS has thrown its hat into the ring of end-of-the-year video game awards, announcing it will air the "Gamers' Choice Awards" December 9 on CBS and the CBS Sports Network.</p>
<p>Hosted by Carrie Keagan and director of Twitch Studios Marcus "Djwheat" Graham, the hour-long awards show will honor the winners of a number of categories, all of which are voted on by users. The Categories are:</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Male Gamer/ Streamer</strong><br />
Ninja <br />
Shroud<br />
Dr. Disrespect<br />
Tyler1<br />
TimTheTatman<br />
Summit1g<br />
Dr. Lupo<br />
Tfue<br />
Lirik<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Female Gamer/ Streamer</strong><br />
Imane “Pokimane” Anys<br />
Rumay “Hafu” Wang (itsHafu)<br />
Kristen “KittyPlays” Michaela<br />
AnneMunition<br />
Kat “Mystik” Gunn<br />
Kim “Geguri” Se-Yeon<br />
Amira “Xmiramira”<br />
Julia “Juliano” Kiran<br />
Zainab “zAAz” Turkie<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Game</strong><br />
Fortnite<br />
God of War<br />
Marvel’s Spider-Man<br />
Overwatch<br />
Dragon Ball FighterZ<br />
Celeste<br />
League of Legends<br />
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4<br />
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey<br />
Monster Hunter: World</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Action Game</strong><br />
God of War<br />
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey<br />
Marvel's Spider-Man<br />
Shadow of the Tomb Raider<br />
Far Cry 5</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Single Player Gaming Experience</strong><br />
Celeste<br />
God of War<br />
Marvel's Spider-Man<br />
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey<br />
Detroit: Become Human</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Multiplayer Game</strong><br />
Fortnite<br />
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4<br />
Destiny 2: Forsaken<br />
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth<br />
Overwatch<br />
A Way Out<br />
PUBG</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Shooter Game</strong><br />
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4<br />
Overwatch<br />
Destiny 2: Forsaken<br />
Quake Champions<br />
Far Cry 5<br />
Warframe<br />
Rainbow Six: Siege<br /><br /><strong>Fan Favorite Battle Royale Game</strong><br />
Fortnite<br />
PUBG<br />
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 - Blackout<br />
Realm Royale<br />
Ring of Elysium<br />
The Darwin Project<br />
H1Z1</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Fighting Game</strong><br />
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition<br />
Dragon Ball FighterZ<br />
Soulcalibur VI<br />
Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection<br />
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle<br /><br /><strong>Fan Favorite Sports/Racing Game</strong><br />
FIFA 19<br />
NBA 2K19<br />
Forza Horizon 4<br />
NHL 19<br />
WWE 2K19<br />
Rocket League<br />
Madden NFL 2019</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Indie Game</strong><br />
Celeste<br />
Subnautica<br />
Dead Cells<br />
Into the Breach<br />
Iconoclasts<br />
Donut County<br />
Moonlighter</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Family-Friendly Multiplayer Game</strong><br />
Mario Tennis Aces<br />
Super Mario Party<br />
Overcooked 2<br />
Starlink: Battle for Atlas<br />
Scribblenauts: Showdown<br />
Lego The Incredibles<br />
Just Dance 2018</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Role Playing Game</strong><br />
Path of Exile<br />
Dragon Quest XI<br />
Monster Hunter: World<br />
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom<br />
Kingdom Come: Deliverance<br />
Octopath Traveler<br />
Diablo III: Eternal Collection<br />
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire<br />
Moonlighter</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite MMORPG</strong><br />
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth<br />
The Elder Scrolls Online<br />
Maple Story 2<br />
Lineage II: Revolution<br />
Black Desert Online<br />
EVE Online<br />
Final Fantasy XIV</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite VR Game</strong><br />
Beat Saber<br />
Moss<br />
Pixel Ripped 1989<br />
Brass Tactics<br />
Sprint Vector</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Mobile Game</strong><br />
Pokémon GO<br />
PUBG Mobile<br />
Arena of Valor<br />
Florence<br />
Alto's Odyssey</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Gaming Device</strong><br />
Microsoft Xbox One<br />
PlayStation 4<br />
PC<br />
Nintendo Switch<br />
Mobile Phone (iOS/ Android)</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Retro Game</strong><br />
Pong<br />
Space Invaders<br />
Super Mario Bros.<br />
The Legend of Zelda<br />
Tetris<br /><strong> <br />
Fan Favorite Retro Character</strong><br />
Mario (Super Mario Bros.)<br />
Link (The Legend of Zelda)<br />
Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong)<br />
Pacman (Pacman)<br />
Bomberman (Bomberman)<br />
Bonk (Bonk’s Adventure)<br />
Mega Man (Mega Man)<br />
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog)<br />
Samus Aran (Metroid)<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Moment</strong><br />
Cloud 9’s League of Legends Worlds Run<br />
OG wins The International 8<br />
Mew2King wins Smash Summit 6<br />
Cloud 9 wins Boston Major<br />
NRG’s 0 second goal in Grand Finals of RLCS<br />
Evil Geniuses wins Call of Duty: World League Grand Finals<br />
<br /><strong>Most Desired Franchise Resurrection</strong><br />
Half-life<br />
F-Zero<br />
Banjo-Kazooie<br />
Earthbound<br />
Chrono Trigger<br />
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic<br />
Jet Set Radio<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Video Game Character of the Year</strong><br />
Kratos (God of War)<br />
Connor (Detroit: Become Human)<br />
Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Marvel’s Spider-Man)<br />
Lara Croft (Shadow of the Tomb Raider)<br />
Leo Caruso (A Way Out)<br />
Alexios and Kassandra (Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey)<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Mobile Game</strong><br />
PUBG Mobile<br />
Pokemon Go<br />
Florence<br />
Arena of Valor<br />
Alto’s Odyssey<br />
Vandals<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Multiplayer Game</strong><br />
Fortnite<br />
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4<br />
Overwatch<br />
A Way Out<br />
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth<br />
PlayerUnkown’s Battlegrounds<br />
Destiny 2: Forsaken<br />
Monster Hunter: World</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Game</strong><br />
League of Legends<br />
Dota 2<br />
Overwatch<br />
Counter Strike: Global Offensive<br />
Dragon Ball FighterZ<br />
Super Smash Bros. Melee<br />
Rocket League<br />
Fortnite <br />
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds<br />
<br /><strong>Most Anticipated Game</strong><br />
The Last of Us 2<br />
Kingdom Hearts 3<br />
The Elder Scrolls 6<br />
Death Stranding<br />
Cyberpunk 2077<br />
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice<br />
Rage 2<br />
Days Gone<br />
Anthem<br />
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Team</strong><br />
Cloud9<br />
Team Liquid<br />
Team Solo Mid<br />
100 Thieves<br />
FaZe Clan<br />
G2<br />
Fnatic</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (League of Legends)</strong><br />
Faker<br />
Doublelift<br />
Bjergsen<br />
Sneaky<br />
Aphromoo<br />
Uzi<br />
Svenskeren</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (Dota 2)</strong><br />
Miracle<br />
Topson<br />
Somnus<br />
7ckngMad<br />
RAMZES666<br />
No[o]ne<br />
ana</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (Super Smash Bros. Melee)</strong><br />
Mang0<br />
Leffen<br />
Hungrybox<br />
Mew2King<br />
Armada<br />
aMSa<br />
Plup</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (Dragon Ball FighterZ)</strong><br />
HookGangGod<br />
Go1<br />
SonicFox<br />
Kazunoko<br />
Dogura<br />
NYChrisG<br />
Moke</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (CS:GO)</strong><br />
s1mple<br />
NiKo<br />
KRIMZ<br />
coldzera<br />
FalleN<br />
dev1ce</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (Overwatch)</strong><br />
Profit<br />
Muma<br />
SoOn<br />
Carpe<br />
JJoNak<br />
Eqo</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (Rocket League)</strong><br />
Kaydop<br />
Squishy<br />
GarrettG<br />
Turbopulsa<br />
ViolentPanda<br />
Kuxir<br />
JSTN</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (Fortnite)</strong><br />
Ninja<br />
Tfue<br />
Vivid<br />
Poach<br />
Cloakzy</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Player (PUBG)</strong><br />
lionkk<br />
Sambty<br />
EscA<br />
Fuzzface<br />
Pr0phie</p>
<p>Fan Favorite Esports Casters Duo<br />
Artosis and Tasteless<br />
Scar and Toph<br />
Sajam and Tastey Steve<br />
James Bardolph and ddk<br />
James Chen and Ultra David<br />
Monte and Doa<br />
Achilios & Wolf<br />
Brandon Smith & Richard Buckley</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esportscaster</strong><br />
Indiana "Froskurinn" Black<br />
Clint "Maven" Evans<br />
Rivington Bisland III<br />
Mitch "Uber" Leslie<br />
Lauren "Pansy" Scott </p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports League Format</strong><br />
Dota 2 - DPC<br />
LoL - Championship Series<br />
Overwatch - OWL<br />
Fortnite - Community Skirmishes<br />
Street Fighter V - Capcom Pro Tour<br />
CS:GO - Majors</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esports Host</strong><br />
Alex 'Goldenboy' Mendez<br />
Alex 'Machine' Richardson<br />
Eefje 'Sjokz' Depoortere<br />
Rachel 'Seltzer' Quirico<br />
Jorien 'Sheever' van der Heijden<br />
Sue 'Smix' Lee<br />
Paul 'RedEye' Chaloner<br />
Chris Puckett</p>
<p><strong>Favorite Celebrity Gamer (Musician)</strong><br />
Marshmello<br />
Post Malone<br />
Snoop Dogg<br />
Drake<br />
Lupe Fiasco<br />
Justin Bieber<br />
<br /><strong>Favorite Celebrity Gamer (Athlete)</strong><br />
Austin Creed (AKA Xavier Woods)<br />
Gordon Hayward<br />
Kenny Omega<br />
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson<br />
Ronda Rousey<br />
Jeremy Lin<br />
Neymar Jr.<br />
JuJu Smith-Schuster<br />
David Price<br />
<br /><strong>Favorite Celebrity Gamer (Actor)</strong><br />
Vin Diesel<br />
Mila Kunis<br />
Terry Crews<br />
Olivia Munn<br />
Zac Efron<br />
Henry Cavill</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Male Voice Actor</strong><br />
Christopher Judge as Kratos (God of War)<br />
Bryan Dechart as Connor (Detroit: Become Human)<br />
Jesse Williams as Markus (Detroit: Become Human)<br />
Michael Antonakos as Alexios (Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey)<br />
Yuri Lowenthal as Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Marvel's Spider-Man)<br />
Jeremy Davies as Baldur (God of War)<br />
Greg Bryk as The Father (Far Cry 5)</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Female Voice Actor</strong><br />
Camilla Luddington as Lara Croft (Shadow of the Tomb Raider)<br />
Melissanthi Mahut as Kassandra (Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey)<br />
Valorie Curry as Kara (Detroit: Become Human)<br />
Danielle Bisutti as Freya (God of War)<br />
Laura Bailey as Mary Jane Watson (Marvel's Spider-Man)<br />
Tara Platt as Yuri Watanabe (Marvel’s Spider-Man)<br />
​​​​​​​<br /><strong>Gaming Moment of the Year</strong><br />
Ninja Plays with Drake<br />
The_Happy_Hob beats the Dark Souls Trilogy without taking a single hit<br />
Red Dead Redemption 2 has the biggest opening weekend of any entertainment property ($725 million)<br />
Dr. DisRespect hits a $100 headshot<br />
Tyler1 returns to League of Legends<br />
16 year old Joseph Saelee becomes Tetris World Champion<br />
Soviet Womble attempts a tactical strategy </p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Esport Event of the Year</strong><br />
League of Legends Worlds<br />
Dota 2 The International<br />
Overwatch League Grand Finals<br />
Evolution 2018<br />
ELEAGUE Boston Major<br />
Call of Duty: World League Grand Finals<br />
<br /><strong>Fan Favorite Collegiate Esport Team</strong><br />
Belleview University<br />
University of Utah<br />
Maryville University<br />
University of Washington<br />
Ohio State<br />
UC Irvine<br />
Robert Morris University<br />
UC Berkeley</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Gaming Convention</strong><br />
BlizzCon<br />
E3<br />
SXSW Gaming<br />
TwitchCon<br />
Penny Arcade Expo (PAX)<br />
DreamHack<br />
MineCon</p>
<p><strong>Fan Favorite Streaming Service</strong><br />
Twitch<br />
Mixer<br />
Facebook Gaming<br />
Youtube Gaming</p>
<p>You can sign up for an account and vote <a href="http://www.gamerschoice.tv/">here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="ourtake">Red Dead Redemption II is curiously absent (likely a deadline issue), and it's curious to see Fortnite and Overwatch on the list of fan-favorite game nominees. It's not unwarranted, though; those games were definitely present this year in a way that deserves recognition.</div>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 19:15:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91401Rapper 2 Milly Wants To Sue Epic Games Over Fortnite Emote
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/rapper-2-milly-wants-to-sue-epic-games-over-fortnite-emote
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</article><p>Rapper 2 Milly wants to "pursue legal action" against Fortnite developer/publisher Epic Games over the inclusion of the "Swipe It" emote.</p>
<p>2 Milly, most famous for the song "Milly Rock," is the creator of the now-popular Milly Rock dance, a move wherein you swipe your hands back and forth - and which used to be available for purchase in Fortnite as an unlock for the season 5 battle pass (Fortnite is currently in its sixth season, and the previous season's battle pass is no longer available). After 2 Milly saw his dance was available for purchase without his consent, he decided to begin to pursue legal action against Epic. "That's when I really was like... 'oh nah, this can't go on too long,'" he told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rapper-2-milly-accuses-fortnite-of-stealing-his-dance-moves-milly-rock-emote/"><em>CBS News</em></a>.</p>
<p>2 Milly did not disclose what, exactly, he wants to sue Epic for, only that the legal move is more defensive than anything else. "I don't even want to bash them for all the millions," he said. "It's not really like that. I just feel like I have to protect what's mine."</p>
<p>The issue of whether dances can be owned and copyrighted in relation to Fortnite was first raised back in July, when <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/07/14/chance-the-rapper-wants-fortnite-to-start-cutting-in-the-people-behind-popular-dance">Chance the Rapper tweeted a suggestion</a> that Epic implement that actual songs the dances are associated with in the game itself, then pay the people who created or popularized those emotes. Many of the emotes used in Fortnite (as well as other popular online games) dances from recognizable sources - "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS1cLOIxsQ8">The Carlton</a>," from <em>The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</em>, for example, or "<a href="https://youtu.be/OAwaNWGLM0c?t=240">The Running Man</a>," frequently show up as emotes, but are clearly references to other media, usually music videos created by other artists. "Imagine the money people are spending on these Emotes being shared with the artists that made them," <a href="https://twitter.com/chancetherapper/status/1017806749028573184">he tweeted</a>.</p>
<p>We've reached out to Epic Games for a statement on the matter and will update this article should they reply.</p>
<p>[<em>Source: <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rapper-2-milly-accuses-fortnite-of-stealing-his-dance-moves-milly-rock-emote/">CBS News</a></em>]</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="ourtake">It always has struck me as unfair that when developers cut these moves wholecloth the originators aren't compensated, but from what little I know, the law here is murky and will likely make things difficult for 2 Milly. It seems much easier to copyright choreography (a set of moves done in a row) than an individual move (which is what the Milly Rock is). If this does end up going to court, it could set a legal precedent for what has, until now, been a bit of a gray area.</div>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 18:30:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91400PUBG Ends 'Fix PUBG' Campaign, Shifting Focus For Next Year
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/pubg-ends-fix-pubg-campaign-shifting-focus-for-next-year
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</article><p>Back in August PUBG began its "<a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/08/08/campaign-to-fix-pubg-begins">Fix PUBG</a>," campaign, focused on improving the overall quality of game's matchmaking, server performance, anti-cheat detection and player bans, and more. As of yesterday, the campaign is over.</p>
<p>In a post on PUBG's steam community page, executive producer Taeseok Jang outlined the results of the campaign. On the client performance front, the team saw fairly large improvements. "The average time to load 1 level has dropped significantly from 14.4 seconds to 5.6 seconds," Jang says. "Environmental effects, vehicle destruction effects, hit effects and smoke effects have been improved and we are planning to add improvements on weapon related logic and effects as well."</p>
<p>However, attempting to fix character movement spawned other issues, including the sound of footsteps being desynced from the actual movements of players, causing the team to revert the change. "We are preparing general optimization work and once it has gone through proper stability testing, we will apply it once again," Jang says. However, desync is still occurring, though less frequently after a November 7 patch, and the team will continue focusing on keeping the game at a synced 30-fps tick rate (the number of times per second the game updates to the server, not the framerate).</p>
<p>Meanwhile, matchmaking has seen some improvements, though the team is looking into ways to display more info on matchmaking, and let players in the most difficult-to-match areas set preferences that will make it easier to match into a game.</p>
<p>And on the game's cheating issues: with over two million cheating accounts banned, the team is still exploring solutions for some of the more prolific cheaters. "While breakthroughs and improvements aren’t ever fast enough to eradicate all cheating, our mission remains the same; to never back off in the fight against unauthorized programs," Jang says. "In some regions, we have been able to work with local law enforcement to arrest the groups involved in the production and sale of unauthorized programs and we will continue to aid authorities in any way we can." The team plans to delve more into this specific topic in a separate letter.</p>
<p>Overall, although Jang points out areas where the game has improved, he remains aware that there's still a ways to go. "We acknowledge that in this process, we have overlooked issues that matter to you and we have reflected a lot on our mistakes," he says. "Therefore, when designing the 2019 PUBG roadmap, we’ve changed our direction from this last year. Build stability and quality are now our most important value, and upon that base we will build new Battle Royale gameplay and new content."</p>
<p>Jan mentions this process will be slow at first, but updates will become more frequent as the team reaches a new equilibrium where they're able to deliver both new content and stability improvements.</p>
<p>As for how this affects the improvements of the Xbox and upcoming <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/13/pubg-coming-to-ps4-in-december">PlayStation</a> versions, Jang provides a somewhat vague statement. "The direction of Xbox and PlayStation development will parallel with PC, continuing to focus on providing our console players a more refined game service to give the best experience."</p>
<p>[<em>Source: <a href="https://steamcommunity.com/games/578080/announcements/detail/2486445930579204546">PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Steam Community Page</a></em>]</p>
<div class="ourtake">While the campaign seems to have seen some improvements to the game, this definitely feels more like a fizzling out than a real triumph. The game still has a long way to go, but hopefully, the fanbase will see the stability and new content they've been craving soon.</div>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 17:22:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91399Crossplay, Unified Progression Coming To Paladins, Realm Royale, And Smite Next Year
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/crossplay-unified-progression-coming-to-paladins-realm-royale-and-smite-next-year
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</article><p>With the recent news that <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/rumor/2018/11/12/rumor-smite-heading-to-switch-with-crossplay">Smite is coming to Switch next year</a>, developer/publisher Hi-Rez Studios is doubling down on letting players play their games anywhere by announcing cross-platform play and progression is coming to Paladins, Realm Royale, and Smite.</p>
<p>Realm Royale, which has yet to fully release, will have it from the outset. Meanwhile, Paladins and Smite will receive an update enabling the feature in "mid-to-late" January. When this happens, there will be a 24-hour downtime, but after that, voice chat, leaderboards, and gameplay will be supported on Xbox One, Switch, PC, and Mac. "We are technically ready to support cross-play on other platforms as the opportunity arises," the company states on its FAQ for the feature, hinting that while Sony announced crossplay for some titles, Hi-Rez has not yet able to implement it for the PS4 version.</p>
<p>As for how players will be matched: "By default, casual matchmaking will find the best matches for players regardless of platform or input method," the company says on its FAQ for the feature. "Smite and Paladins ranked matchmaking will be divided strictly by input method. Players will only ever play against other players using the same input method in ranked. Realm Royale players will always be placed in cross-platform matchmaking."</p>
<p>Players can also link up their platform accounts to their Hi-Rez account and have their progress synced across consoles. Platform-specific skins won't be available outside those platforms, however, and some costumes may only be available on the platform on which they were purchased. And if you already have multiple accounts with different progress and skins? "When cross-progression is enabled, we will merge your owned content across platform accounts linked with your Hi-Rez Account, in accordance with platform provider policies," the company says, though no refunds will be given for duplicate skin purchases.</p>
<p>[<em>Source: <a href="https://www.hirezstudios.com/crossplay/">Hi-Rez Studios</a></em>]</p>
<div class="ourtake">It may not be realistic (every game has its own specific tech issues and hang-ups), but this is exactly how every modern multiplayer game should handle being on multiple consoles. I own three copies of Overwatch on separate platforms and have leveled a total of five Destiny 2 characters across PS4 and PC, and I can only dream of merging all of that loot I've collected under one account I can play wherever I want. As Sony continues to chip away at its crossplay wall, I can only hope multiplayer games adopt this level of platform cross-compatibility as the standard instead of the exception.</div>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 16:15:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91398Cell And Piccolo Coming To Jump Force
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/cell-and-piccolo-coming-to-jump-force
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</article><p>Jump force's representation of Dragon Ball <em>and </em>Green people looks to expand with the addition of Cell and Piccolo, two of the series' most popular characters.</p>
<p>The news comes from Japanese video game magazine <em>V-Jump</em>, which announced the characters in its latest issue. We'll likely have to wait a little while before seeing them in action, however, though the next trailer shouldn't be too far off.</p>
<p>Jump Force is scheduled to release on February 14. For more on the game, check out some of the latest <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/25/release-date-and-new-roster-additions-announced-for-jump-force">additions</a>, as well as our <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/15/jump-force-impressions-and-every-ultimate-attack-so-far">impressions from the beta along with every ultimate attack</a>.</p>
<p>[<em>Source: V-Jump via <a href="https://gematsu.com/2018/11/jump-force-adds-cell-and-piccolo-from-dragon-ball#JQVpDeXBzTi365VA.99">Gematsu</a></em>]</p>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 15:10:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91396Switch Action-RPG Dragon Marked For Death Release Moved To Early Next Year
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/switch-action-rpg-dragon-marked-for-death-release-moved-to-early-next-year
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</article><p>The last time we saw <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/12/20/switch-action-rpg-dragon-marked-for-death-delayed-to-2018.aspx">Dragon Marked For Death</a>, a new Action-RPG for the Switch by frequent Mega Man developer Inti Creates, it was because it was delayed into 2018. Well guess what?</p>
<p>At this year's Anime NYC convention, Inti Creates revealed a few new details about Dragon Marked For Death, the most notable of which is its new release date. The game will now release on January 31. The reason for the delay was "to create a smaller gap between the release of the physical version and the digital version" of the game, which Inti Creates is partnering with Nighthawk Interactive to release. </p>
<p>The game will also be split into two packages, giving players access to different classes for $14.99 apiece. The "Frontline Fighters" pack will let you play as the beginner-friendly empress and warrior characters, while the "Advanced Fighters" pack will have the more intricate shinobi and witch characters. After players buy one, they'll be able to purchase the other via DLC. The physical version of the game will have all four classes, however.</p>
<p>Finally, Inti Creates announced the addition of an anime-style intro video to the game, which you can watch right here. If you're looking for in-depth look at how the game plays, you can watch recent hour-long livestream of it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDe6YIrGM7Q">here</a>.</p>
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<p>[<em>Source: <a href="http://inticreates.com/dmfd-anime-nyc/">Inti Creates</a></em>]</p>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 14:05:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91397Cliff Bleszinski Says He's Done Making Video Games
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/cliff-bleszinski-says-hes-done-making-video-games
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</article><p>After the shuttering of <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/games/lawbreakers/b/pc/archive/2017/08/11/a-passionless-prison-for-great-gameplay.aspx">Lawbreakers</a> developer Boss Key Productions <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/05/14/lawbreakers-developer-boss-key-productions-closes-down.aspx">earlier this year</a>, studio head Cliff Bleszinski mentioned that, rather than jump into another project, he'd be spending time with his family and reflecting on whatever may come next. As it turns out, it likely won't be a video game.</p>
<p>Replying to a fan who was upset about the lack of refunds for the now-defunct Lawbreakers and that much of that money had been wasted, Bleszinski tweeted that that money went to paying employees' 401ks, health care, and severances after Boss Key shut down. "I didn't take a salary myself for two years," he said. (He mentions paying for these employee expenses for "months" after the closure, though an <a href="https://twitter.com/ZLow4sho/status/1063213267118669824">employee responded</a> by saying their own severance was only for three weeks. "Maybe I used hyperbole," Bleszinski responded.)</p>
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<p>He then pivoted to an informal announcement. "I get you're sad, but god, this kind s--- is another reason I am NEVER making another game."</p>
<p>While that may seem flippant, he then <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-11-16-i-am-never-making-another-game-bleszinski">confirmed to </a><em><a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-11-16-i-am-never-making-another-game-bleszinski">GamesIndustry.biz</a> </em>that it wasn't just an offhand comment. "I'm done," he said. This would mark the end of Bleszinski's decades-long career in the video game industry, which includes working on games like Jazz Jackrabbit, Unreal Tournament, and Gears of War at Epic Games, along with creating Lawbreakers at Boss Key.</p>
<div class="ourtake">Lawbreakers' failure at market was likely a heavy blow to all involved, and I can see how it might prompt someone to step away from the stress of creating a game and managing a studio for a while. Still, it's surprising to see Bleszinski swear off video games altogether.</div>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 13:07:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91395Destiny 2's Gambit Sees Bounties Buffed, Comebacks Nerfed Next Season
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/destiny-2s-gambit-sees-bounties-buffed-comebacks-nerfed-next-season
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</article><p>As Destiny 2 gears up for its next season, Bungie has announced a couple of changes it plans to implement to the game's Gambit mode that should make matches more rewarding and less topsy-turvy.</p>
<p>When the Seasons of the Forge starts on November 27, bounties will be easier to complete, more rewarding, and a little more numerous. The amount of Infamy (the experience/ranking system in Gambit) each bounty offers will be doubled, and many bounties will have "their objectives retuned to take less time and be easier to complete," Bungie says. There will also be a new type of bounty for scoring kills on Primeval Envoys, the enemies who accompany the Primeval (the enemy which teams must defeat to win a round), encouraging players to wipe them out first and weaken the Primeval before killing it.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, teams who summon their Primeval second will have their chances of making a comeback reduced. Currently, depending on how long the losing team is behind on summoning their Primeval after the leading team summoned theirs, the losing team would stacks of a buff called "Primeval Slayer," depending on far ahead the opposing team was, increasing the amount of damage they dealt to the Primeval and making it easy to mount a comeback. Bungie has now limited the number of stacks to one, making comebacks much harder.</p>
<p>Finally, Bungie announced plans to reveal what else the rest of the year for Destiny 2, including a breakdown of the next three seasons of the game.</p>
<p>[<em>Source: <a href="https://www.bungie.net/en/Explore/Detail/News/47423">Bungie</a></em>]</p>
<div class="ourtake">Comebacks were definitely too easy to pull off in Gambit, to the point where I would frequently hold off on summoning their Primeval second to make it a bit easier to kill the Primeval and possibly gain an advantage (though this wasn't always effective). And with as difficult as Infamy can be to earn as you approach the rank needed for a reset, increased bounty rewards are good to see.</div>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 12:00:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91394What To Watch This Weekend: Smite, Dota 2, And Halo 5
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/17/what-to-watch-this-weekend-smite-dota-2-and-halo-5
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/12/96031bca/smite.jpg" width="800" height="450" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>We have a quite a few events to dig into as we head into Thanksgiving week. You're going to be in full clock-out mode when you get into work on Monday anyway, so why not stay up late and watch some tournaments?</p>
<p><strong>Smite</strong> is having its big world championship, pitting the scene's best against each other for the right to call themselves the best. (<a href="https://mixer.com/SmiteGame">Stream</a> / <a href="https://esports.smitegame.com/schedule">Schedule</a>)</p>
<p>The last <strong>Dota 2</strong> major before the long-awaited 7.20, taking place in Kuala Lumpur, wraps up this weekend, as titans in the scene continue to prove themselves while a few new teams are making a name for themselves. (<a href="https://www.twitch.tv/pgl_dota2">Stream</a> / <a href="https://www.thekualalumpurmajor.com/schedule.php#schedule-sec">Schedule</a>)</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Red Bull Conquest tournament circuit has been going strong all year, but takes its final stop in Washington D.C. to cap off its circuits in <strong>Street Fighter V</strong>, <b>Guilty Gear Xrd</b>, and <strong> Tekken 7. </strong>(<a href="https://www.twitch.tv/RedBullEsports">Stream</a> / <a href="https://smash.gg/tournament/red-bull-conquest-lcq-finals-cpt-na-regional-finals/details">Schedule</a>)</p>
<p>If those aren't your bag, you can catch <strong>Brawlhalla</strong>, <b>Soulcalibur VI</b>, <strong>BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle</strong> and several <strong>Super Smash Bros.</strong> events at Dreamhack Atlanta. (<a href="https://smash.gg/tournament/dreamhack-atlanta-2018/details">Streams and Schedule</a>)</p>
<p>Also in Atlanta, the <strong>Halo 5: Guardians </strong>pro circuit comes to a head for the conclusion of its Championship series. (<a href="https://www.twitch.tv/halo">Stream</a> / <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/esports/hcs-finals-2018">Schedule</a>)</p>
<p><strong>Gears of War 4</strong> is having a charity event in Columbus, Ohio, with half of the $200,000 prize pool being donated. (<a href="https://live.gearsofwar.com/">Stream</a> / <a href="http://events.mlg.com/gpcinvitational">Schedule</a>)</p>
<p><strong>Rainbow Six Siege</strong> is taking its Pro League Finals to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so you can catch some great tactical shooter action all weekend long. (<a href="https://www.twitch.tv/rainbow6">Stream and Schedule</a>) </p>
<p>That's it for this weekend! Let us know if we missed an event, or if there's a scene you'd like us to cover, in the comments.</p>
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 11:00:00 CSTSuriel Vazquez91388Replay – Tony Hawk's Underground
https://www.gameinformer.com/replay/replay/2018/11/16/replay-tony-hawks-underground
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/16/252d63b1/thug-site.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>It's no secret that we at G.I. are huge fans of skateboarding video games, even going so far as to play <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/video-feature/2018/10/08/why-im-actually-enjoying-crayola-scoot-as-a-tony-hawk-fan">goo-goo baby crayon games</a> in order to get our halfpipe-hugging fix. Luckily, we've got just the video series to help us through these dark, skateboard-averse times. This week on Replay, Reiner, Suriel, Leo, and I take a look at one of the less-classic entries in the classic Tony Hawk series – and it doesn't take long for things to go...<em>off the rails</em>. Get it? Rails are a skateboarding thing. Oh, nevermind. </p>
<p>Watch us as we skate our way through New Jersey and New York, helping random citizens and ruining the lives of innocent nut vendors – hey, a skater's life is complicated. We also may or may not discuss the reprehensible lack of modern skateboarding games on the market – you'll just have to tune in to see if that's a real talking point or not!</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 20:00:00 CSTJeff Marchiafava91374Weekend Warrior – Let’s Talk Turkey
https://www.gameinformer.com/reader-discussion/2018/11/16/weekend-warrior-lets-talk-turkey
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</article><p>The office is full of hectic energy as we move towards Thanksgiving week. Most editors have barricaded themselves at their desks to finish their work before getting down to serious turkey-preparing business. Even so, we still have time for video games like Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu & Eevee, Hitman 2, and Red Dead Redemption II.</p>
<p>Do you have any plans this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!</p>
<p><strong>Brian Shea</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/brianpshea" target="_blank">@BrianPShea</a>) – I just emerged from a review tunnel with Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu & Eevee, so I’m looking forward to getting back to Red Dead Redemption II. Outside of that, I’m planning on starting Fallout 76 and checking out Hitman 2. Also, Tetris Effect has served as the perfect end to my nights recently, so I'll be sure to play more of that. Oh, and Overwatch. Always Overwatch.</p>
<p><strong>Jill Grodt</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Finruin" target="_blank">@Finruin</a>) – There is so much to wrap up before I can think about going home for the Thanksgiving holiday! Hopefully, I’ll have time to squeeze in some Red Dead and Pokémon: Let’s Go.</p>
<p><strong>Suriel Vasquez</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/surielvazquez" target="_blank">@SurielVazquez</a>) – Trying to smuggle a Thunderlord into Miami for my girl J.J. Macfield.</p>
<p><strong>Javy Gwaltney</strong> – This has got to be the most exciting, anxiety-inducing video game weekend of the year for me. I think I’ll spend a fair amount of it in a café catching Pokémon on my Switch, then exploring the wasteland in Fallout 76, before returning to my one big obsession this year: Red Dead Redemption II.</p>
<p><strong>Kyle Hilliard</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/KyleMHilliard" target="_blank">@KyleMHilliard</a>) – Still making my way through Red Dead Redemption II. Turns out that’s a big old game that takes a really long time! Otherwise it’s home prep time for family visiting out of town for Thanksgiving and playing Lego DC Super-Villains with the kid. Might sneak some Let’s Go, Eevee in there, too, at some point.</p>
<p><strong>Imran Khan</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/imranzomg" target="_blank">@imranzomg</a>) – This week I’m at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest talking to Final Fantasy XIV fans, so if you see me, come up and say hi! I’m also playing Red Dead Redemption II in my hotel room occasionally, but don’t say hi to me there. I’m also playing more Valkyria Chronicles 4 on my Switch while I’m traveling, saying hi to me while I’m doing that might come down to the situation.</p>
<p><strong>Jeff Cork</strong> – I'm still plugging away at Red Dead Redemption II, and I think I'm going to focus on the hunting part this weekend. I need to upgrade my satchels and all that business and picking off animals here and there as I move between mission points isn't cutting it. It's time to get serious. I'll also probably check out Ashe in Overwatch. I play a lot of mystery heroes, so my time with her has been limited (and tragically brief). I think I like her?</p>
<p><strong>Ben Hanson</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/yozetty" target="_blank">@yozetty</a>) – This weekend I'm committed to making as much progress as possible in Red Dead Redemption II. Come hell or high water or social engagement. I'm also watching the new Coen brothers Western to help get me get in the mood. I'm early in chapter 4 and am really loving the game now!</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 19:00:00 CSTJill Grodt91387Bethesda Outlines Near-Future Roadmap For Fallout 76
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/bethesda-outlines-near-future-roadmap-for-fallout-76
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/16/ed07ef4e/fallout76_largehero_officialreveal.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>Fallout 76 released just this week, but Bethesda is already hard at work on improvements it can bring to the online post-apocalyptic title. The first patch is set to hit on November 19, but the most requested fan updates aren't hitting until later.</p>
<p>The November 19 patch will focus on game performance and stability across every platform, but will also fix some quests, UI elements, and more. Bethesda warns that the patch will be a large download, but future patches won't be nearly as big.</p>
<p>Bethesda also wants to increase the stash limit in the next few weeks. The development team initially capped the stash to limit the number of items the game had to track moving through the world, but the team thinks it has ideas that will work to fix this oft-requested change to work in both short- and long-term.</p>
<p>In addition, the Fallout 76 team wants to add Push to Talk, ultrawide support, and a FOV slider for PC players before the end of the year.</p>
<p>The team also teased a bit of what to expect in 2019, including new content and in-game systems to improve the overall experience in Fallout 76. Bethesda teases that players will see new Vaults opening, new ways to improve your C.A.M.P.s, new multiplayer features, and more free add-ons they won't detail just yet.</p>
<p>Fallout 76 is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.</p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="https://fallout.bethesda.net/article/48zcUmxp7O2se0CIMMwmGg/fallout-76-upcoming-features-and-fixes-november-2018" target="_blank">Bethesda</a>]</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 17:48:39 CSTBrian Shea91393Pokémon Go Adds Special Questline To Acquire New Mythical Pokémon Meltan
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/pokemon-go-adds-special-questline-to-acquire-new-mythical-pokemon-meltan
<p>The mysterious, new mythical Pokémon Meltan is now able to be acquired in Pokémon Go through a couple of different methods. The initial announcement hinted that Meltan would only be obtainable through using the Pokémon Go integration in the newly released Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu & Eevee, but Niantic has announced a more conventional route to adding the steel-type monster to your collection.</p>
<p>Must like the Mew, Celebi, and Spiritomb questlines, players can now acquire Meltan through Special Research tasks. The questline, titled "Let's Go, Meltan" consists of nine stages. You may want to complete the quests sooner rather than later, though, as some of the Pokémon required to complete the stages will be more common through November 27.</p>
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</article><p>Players who bought Pokémon: Let's Go in hopes of acquiring a Meltan before everyone else can likely take solace in evolving the new creature faster than anyone else; Meltan requires 400 candies in order to evolve, and doesn't cough up a single candy until you've walked 20 km with it as your buddy. With Let's Go, you can get 30 minutes of Meltan spawns per week using the Mystery Box item provided when you trade a Pokémon from Pokémon Go to Pokémon: Let's Go using the Go Park in Fuchsia City.</p>
<p>For more on Pokémon Go, check out our ever-growing guide <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/08/02/pokemon-go-guide-eggs-evolution-rare-coins.aspx">here</a>. For more on Pokémon: Let's Go, head to <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-pokemon-lets-go-eevee/a-classic-evolved">our review</a>.</p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/letsgo-celebration/" target="_blank">Pokémon Go</a>]</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 17:31:40 CSTBrian Shea91392Devil May Cry Show Coming From Castlevania Producer
https://www.gameinformer.com/gamer-culture/2018/11/16/devil-may-cry-show-coming-from-castlevania-producer
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</article><p>A few weeks ago, <em>Castlevania </em>Netflix producer Adi Shankar teased a new adaptation with a Japanese video game company. While the rumor at the time was that Shankar had <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/rumor/2018/10/30/rumor-castlevania-netflix-producer-to-adapt-the-legend-of-zelda">procured the rights to The Legend of Zelda</a>, the producer and IGN revealed today that it will actually be Devil May Cry that gets the next TV show treatment.</p>
<p>In an interview with IGN, Shankar admitted <em>Castlevania "</em>did crazy well," paving the way for Capcom's crazy party to get the green light. There aren't many details on how exactly Devil May Cry will get adapted, as <em>Castlevania </em>is based on a Warren Ellis script penned by the writer in the early 2000s. Shankar did say that his personal investment in the series means he gets more creative license with the property.</p>
<p>It wouldn't be the first time that DMC had gotten adapted, though, as a seemingly-canon anime aired in 2007 and tells the story of Dante's devil-hunting business before the events of Devil May Cry 4. Characters from that animated series are referenced in Devil May Cry 5.</p>
<p>Capcom said recently that they plan to be more aggressive with licensing their properties for multimedia projects, like the <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/12/new-monster-hunter-movie-shots-and-details-from-director">Monster Hunter</a> and <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/04/mega-man-getting-his-own-live-action-film-directed-by-catfish-creators">recently-announced Mega Man</a> movies. Devil May Cry 5 releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on March 8.</p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/16/devil-may-cry-series-joins-castlevania-in-new-multiverse-from-adi-shankar">IGN</a>]</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 15:20:00 CSTImran Khan91390Final Fantasy XIV Gets New Expansion, Job Class, And A Host Of New Features
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/final-fantasy-xiv-gets-new-expansion-job-class-and-a-host-of-new-features
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</article><p>At the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival today, producer Naoki Yoshida (affectionately known by the community as Yoshi-P) got on stage to announce a new expansion to Final Fantasy XIV called Shadowbringers. The new expansion is scheduled to come in early summer 2019 and focuses on bringing together the six allied nations to fight the Garlean Empire once and for all. Yoshida emphasized that the Warrior of Light has to become the Warrior of Darkness in the new content.</p>
<p>You can find the teaser trailer for the expansion below.</p>
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<p>Stormbringers, uh, brings with it multiple new jobs that Yoshida decided not to announce yet. The shirt he wore had a picture of Bugs Bunny, which Yoshida showed off when hinting at a new playable race, most likely the Viera, rabbit-people from Ivalice. He indicated this would be the last new playable race they are likely to add.</p>
<p>The team is using the expansion to make some other changes, like putting TP and MP together and just calling it MP now, and also adding several new environments. The Nu Mou, dog-like sages from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance's Ivalice, are also coming as a beast tribe to the game.</p>
<p>Toward the end of the show, Square Enix's president and CEO Yosuke Matsuda came out dressed like a blue mage, saying he was going over Yoshida's head to announce a new job class. The new job takes enemy attacks after seeing them and will be arriving in patch 4.5. Yoshida described it as a "limited job," but has not yet explained what that means. The crowd erupted in uproarious cheers when the Blue Mage was shown, with some people in the audience kissing each other in excitement like the New Year just rang in.</p>
<p>Final Fantasy XIV is also getting a new game+ mode, which is unusual for MMORPGs. It allows players to relive older content with their now far stronger characters. </p>
<p>Yoshida is expected to make even more announcements and further detail what he has announced today at tomorrow's Letter from the Producer event at the fan festival.</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:55:00 CSTImran Khan91389Sponsor Drops Former Street Fighter V Champion In Light Of Domestic Abuse Allegations
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/sponsor-drops-former-street-fighter-v-champion-in-light-of-domestic-abuse-allegations
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</article><p><strong>Update 11/16:</strong> Capcom has clarified to <i>Game Informer</i> that Seon-woo's removal from this and next year's Capcom Pro Tour "was the agreed upon by Capcom, Panda Global and Infiltration - not solely determined by Infiltration on his side."</p>
<p><strong>Original Story: </strong>Lee "Infiltration" Seon-woo has been banned from competing in Capcom's Street Fighter V pro circuit, and has had his contract with sponsor Panda Global terminated, in light of a recent charge of domestic violence.</p>
<p>The issue first came to light in September, when an anonymous Reddit user <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/LivestreamFail/comments/9guj70/the_real_reason_jake_is_in_japan/e684cqa/">alleged</a> Seon-woo had been assaulting his ex-wife since September of last year, after his loss in that year's Evo tournament. They alleged Seon-woo "blamed his wife for his loss in the tournament," and had destroyed her property and attacked her. "One day she tried to call police but Infiltration snatched her phone and choked her to near death and dragged her out of the apartment but fortunately neighbor saw him beating his wife and called police," the user said.</p>
<p>In the wake of the allegations, Panda Global began investigating Seon-woo, while according to the sponsor, Seon-woo "voluntarily withdrew from competing, streaming, and social media," during the investigation, including an exhibition at this year's Tokyo Game Show scheduled for that weekend. "[Seon-woo] maintains that the accusations against him are false and he is innocent of assault," the company said.</p>
<p>The company then worked with Capcom to investigate and verify the charges (you can find a timeline of both the incident and Panda Global's investigation comparing the allegations made by the Reddit user and what Panda Global found <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/393305829/Investigation-Summary">here</a>). The investigation was slowed due to "the complexities of the Korean legal system, including getting access to any court documents, coupled with a major national holiday in that country and translation lead times," according to <a href="https://capcomprotour.com/capcom-response-charges-seon-woo-infiltration-lee/">Capcom's own statement on the matter</a>. Today Panda Global released a statement summarizing its findings. </p>
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<p>While they were unable to confirm some of the specific charges made by the Reddit user, it did find an incident of "an altercation" which took place on October 22 of last year. According to Panda Global's summary of their investigation, Seon-woo was charged with "violence" after his ex-wife obtained a medical note stating she had sustained "bruising and an injury to the wrist with no hospitalization necessary. "As a result of this incident [Seon-woo] received what we understand to be akin to a temporary restraining order [in Korea]," and paid a fine equivalent to $630 for "violence." Panda Global notes this on the "low end of the punishment range," and states the maximum fine would be equivalent to $4,500.</p>
<p>As for the destruction of property, Panda Global reports Seon-woo informed his ex-wife he and his mother would visit their joint-leased home to collect his personal belongings. When he arrived, he found the passcode to the lock had been changed. Seon-woo says he "consulted the police and was informed that it was within his rights to enter his home and hire a locksmith to open the lock." After Seon-woo had a locksmith break the lock, his ex-wife charged him for property damage and won the case, charging Seon-woo a $300 fine.</p>
<p>As a result of their investigation, Panda Global terminated its contract with Seon-woo, who is currently ranked #11 on the Capcom Pro Tour leaderboard, has decided to voluntarily withdraw himself from the Capcom Pro Tour for the rest of the year and through 2019.</p>
<p>According to Capcom, "a second offense will result in a lifetime ban from participating in all future Capcom Pro Tour events." As for the tournament itself, "all players on the global ranking leaderboard below this rank will move up one position as we are considering his withdrawal the equivalent of a disqualification," Capcom said.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://twitter.com/PandaGlobal/status/1063178687779127296">his own statement released by Panda Global</a>, Seon-woo states he is innocent and that "after Panda has released [this statement], I will explain everything later."</p>
<p>We've reached out Capcom for any additional statements regarding the matter and will update this story should they reply.</p>
<div class="ourtake">A "voluntary" one-year hiatus from the circuit feels like too light of a punishment here. If Capcom wants to ensure competitors and spectators feel safe at the events Capcom sponsors for the Pro Tour, it can't show any leniency when it comes to issues like this. It's also curious they cite that Seon-woo voluntarily removed himself from competition but don't make a definitive statement about what they would have done had he refused to do so.<br /><br />
It should also be noted that while Capcom does run its own circuit, the Street Fighter V competitive scene isn't entirely controlled by Capcom. It'll likely be up to individual tournament organizers to determine whether they want ban or allow Seon-woo at their tournaments, even if he won't compete at Pro Tour events. The association between those organizers does add some pressure, however.</div>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:33:58 CSTSuriel Vazquez91375New Just Cause 4 Trailer Dives Into Biomes, Microjets, And Destructibility
https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2018/11/16/new-trailer-dives-into-biomes-microjets-and-destructibility
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/16/f2bda51e/just_cause_4_tornado.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>The latest Just Cause 4 trailer has dropped, and with it, fans of the destructive, high-octane South American sandbox should have plenty of reasons be excited for the latest installment.</p>
<p>Set in the fictional city of Solis, the trailer showcases the new playable landmass which Avalanche Studios says will be the largest in series history, brimming with diverse biomes modeled after real-life South American geography. Built around its new Apex Engine the trailer also gives fans another glimpse into the new extreme weather systems, giving us blizzards and tornadoes, as Rico Rodriguez drop kicks enemies using his now-upgradeable grappling hook and fires off rounds with what appears to be a railgun. </p>
<p>Promising more weapons, vehicles, and destructibility than ever before, Avalanche says this Just Cause will be a “landmark entry in the series,” and the way the trailer looks, this doesn’t seem too far off the mark. But you don’t have to take our word for it, check out the trailer below to see all the beautiful, over-the-top destruction for yourself.</p>
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<p>Just Cause 4 is slated to release December 4 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. For all the latest news and info on Rico's latest adventure, be sure to grapple your way over to our <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/product/just-cause-4" target="_blank">Just Cause 4 news hub</a>.</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:04:30 CSTJP Gemborys91385Inside the Creation Of Warcraft III's Soundtrack
https://www.gameinformer.com/exclusive-feature/2018/11/16/inside-the-creation-of-warcraft-iiis-soundtrack
<p>With our new <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/warcraft3">cover story on Warcraft III: Reforged</a>, we're rolling out a month of exclusive features with some focusing less on the remake and more on the creation of the original RTS. In the video above, we interview co-composer of Warcraft III Derek Duke and his work creating the undead and orc soundtracks. We also talk about what defines the soundscape for Warcraft as a series.</p>
<p>Click on our banner below to enter our constantly updating hub of exclusive features on Warcraft III: Reforged.</p>
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</article>Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:00:00 CSTBen Hanson91376Battlefield V Review – Hedge Warfare
https://www.gameinformer.com/review/battlefield-v/battlefield-v-review-hedge-warfare
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/16/ade84ee8/bfv_rev1500.jpg" width="800" height="450" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>They say all is fair in love and war, but Battlefield fans disagree. The lead-up to the series' return to World War II was firebombed by controversies centered on the role of women in virtual warfare, the perceived lack of authenticity in the new soldier customization system, and confusion over what exactly would be in the game on launch day. Once the dust settled and we finally stormed into the battle ourselves, the resulting game is far from the charred husk of Battlefield’s remains many haters anticipated. In fact, Battlefield V is the safest, most calculated release in the franchise’s history. Like a seasoned general confident in his approach to battle, DICE doesn’t make any bold, redefining changes; instead, the studio equips the game with fan-requested improvements that solidify the series’ tried-and-true cooperative, large-scale warfare formula. Battlefield V is more iterative than it is innovative, and when it does push the war efforts into new territory, the results are decidedly mixed. </p>
<p>The series reputation for combat that emphasizes teamplay and large-scale warfare across land, air, and sea remains fully intact. Battlefield V urges players to squad up with others and cooperate to achieve success, demanding more from its audience than lone-wolf multiplayer games that encourage running and gunning with abandon. The diversity of play is still a compelling draw – being able to command a tank one round, hop into a fighter plane in another, or put your machine gun to good use as one of four distinct classes is an experience not many other competitive shooters offer.</p>
<p>Small changes can make big differences, and the most noticeable and appreciated improvement in Battlefield V directly affects your primary action: shooting. DICE reworked its ballistics system to remove random bullet deviation and deliver more predictable spray patterns for all its weapons. Gone are the days of simply taming a weapon. Now you can learn each rifle’s nuances and master its use, knowing when to let off the trigger to land a kill. Along with other subtle tweaks to aiming, the time-to-kill feels much faster as a result, finding the sweet spot between the more spongy Battlefield games of yore and the frantic one-shot-kills of hardcore mode. </p>
<p>Squad play is the heart of series, and Battlefield V reinforces cooperation with a few subtle and smart changes. Health no longer fully regenerates, so you have to apply a bandage yourself or request one from a nearby medic if you get nicked. Anyone can revive a fallen teammate (though medics can do it in half the time), and holding out hope for a revive doesn’t punish your respawn time in the redeployment screen anymore. Soldiers don’t spawn with an overabundance of ammo, either, which means smart teams always enlist a support player in their squad. The reworked spotting system only allows recon players to individually mark targets (others can merely point to general areas), making them more vital than ever to the team’s cause. The class balance between the four roles may be the best it’s been to date; my only major complaints thus far are related to weapons. The medics need more primary options than just SMGs, which prove ineffective on larger maps that encourage more long-range skirmishes. The bipods on support weapons don’t deploy correctly on cover or railings, either, limiting their effectiveness unless you are prone.</p>
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<p>Playing together has always earned players more points in Battlefield, but this year’s Squad Reinforcements system further encourages collaboration. Each team action slowly nets the squad points, which the leader can use to call in resupplies, order vehicles, or if they save up enough points, unleash a devastating rocket onto enemies. I like the idea of rewarding teamplay, but the system doesn’t share the wealth. Only squad leaders get points for the V1 rocket kills, which should be divided among the entire squad. </p>
<p>Teamplay gets another boost thanks to the new fortifications system, which allows soldiers to bolster defensive positions at predetermined places with sandbags, barbed wire, and even weapon emplacements. This addition feels long overdue and fits perfectly into the Battlefield motif, giving soldiers who aren’t as comfortable staring down their sights another way to contribute to the war efforts. DICE’s first implementation feels rigid – there is no logic as to why fortifications are available for some spots in the base and not others – but at least it gives defenders cover when buildings around a flag are largely devastated. That said, defense still isn’t incentivized enough; players are still more prone to chase flags in older modes like Conquest rather than hunker down and hold a position. </p>
<p>No matter whether you are attacking or defending, you can count on a gorgeous backdrop. Battlefield V only has eight maps at launch (much more should come via the Tides of War service), but the settings include wintery mountains, dusty deserts, lush countryside, and bombed-out cities. The weather effects add to the sense of mood; as the wind picks up in the harsher climate, visibility becomes impaired and forces teams to adjust their tactics. My favorite new map is Arras, which has a small French village in the midst of yellow canola fields that provide ample cover for encroaching enemies. The destructibility is turned back up to impressive levels we haven’t seen since the Bad Company games; tanks can roll right through buildings, and most cover can be obliterated with a well-placed rocket.</p>
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<p>Each map is compatible with the six game modes Battlefield V currently features (more are on the way). The lineup includes old favorites like Conquest, Frontlines, Domination, and Battlefield 1’s popular Operations (which is rebranded here as Breakthrough). Battlefield V’s signature mode is Grand Operations, which preserves the multi-map battle format of its predecessor but sprinkles in a variety of other modes along the way. This change isn’t for the better, as some modes kill the tension and focused objectives that made Operations such a thrill. When Grand Operations maps open up to include more than three objectives at once, the battles become scattered and lose their intensity. </p>
<p>Intensity is also scarce in the War Stories, the single-player campaign formatted like short stories. I love the concept of telling seldom-heard tales about war heroes who rose to the occasion in impossible circumstances, and DICE created interesting characters who each educate us about lesser-known fights during World War II. I also appreciated the somber, revering tone the developers adopt to bring these three tales to life. But presentation aside, the missions feel rote, rarely tap into the Battlefield magic of large-scale warfare, and fail to create memorable moments like the multiplayer does. </p>
<p>Regardless of which multiplayer mode you are playing, your experience feeds into a complex progression system that allows you to unlock new weapons, specializations, gadgets, and cosmetics for each class. The fashion available is conservative and nothing like the immersion-shattering gear many expected after seeing neon face paint and retro-futuristic prosthetic arms in the promotional footage – you’re mostly unlocking era-appropriate military gear in shades of green, gray, and tan. A currency system lets you buy more cosmetics, but the storefront feels like a conceptual test right now, with only 10 items to purchase. Most of the options available in the Armory are expensive, and it doesn’t populate the smaller cosmetics you can purchase buried deep within customization menus, so you never have the convenience of seeing all the available items in one place. </p>
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<p>Battlefield V’s new Company hub is your one-stop shop to customize your weapons, apparel, and vehicles, but doesn’t offer the flexibility longtime Battlefield fans expect. To reach its potential, we need to be able to save multiple configurations for each class so we can quickly swap between loadouts. For example, we should able to swap an Assault soldier armed with a long-range scope for one better suited for close-quarter battles on the fly.</p>
<p>Minor but persistent annoyances are also common on the warfront. While the new movement system looks good, soldiers have problems vaulting over small embankments and they sometimes clip through cover when prone or during revive animations. DICE’s stubborn approach to squad spawns means soldiers still appear out of nowhere in the middle of battle; this is especially annoying when you are engaged in a one-on-one firefight and suddenly you are vastly outnumbered. Occasionally, the explosives needed to destroy objectives fail to spawn, leaving attackers no chance to win the war, or the loading hangs in the middle of rounds, forcing you to restart the game altogether. DICE also removed the ability to switch teams, which some players abused in the past for a score advantage, but this means if your friend spawns in on the opposing team you have no immediate remedy at your disposal other than quitting and finding another match. Also, tanks are not fast or deadly enough; right now they are hulking machines that crawl across the battlefield at a snail’s pace, and panzerfausts carried by infantry are more dangerous to tanks than the hulking cannons of their counterparts.</p>
<p>Battlefield V is a hard game to critique at this stage. Many of the minor tweaks improve the overall gameplay, which is still fun. But the majority of the innovations have yet to arrive, and new systems like the Company and Armory still need to be fleshed out. This game’s legacy won’t stand on the content currently in the game. Ultimately, Battlefield V will be defined by the success or failure of the pending Combined Arms cooperative mode, Firestorm battle royale mode, and whether or not DICE can continually provide new and engaging content. On day one, the game feels a few reinforcements short to pull off the overwhelming victory we’ve come to expect given the series’ strong lineage.</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 13:55:50 CSTMatt Bertz91386Report: Microsoft Working On Digital-Only Xbox One System For 2019 Release
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/report-microsoft-working-on-digital-only-xbox-one-system-for-2019-release
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</article><p>Based on a new report, Microsoft is working on an Xbox One system without a disc drive for a 2019 release. According to <a href="https://www.thurrott.com/xbox/192184/microsofts-building-a-disc-less-xbox-one-for-release-in-2019#" target="_blank">the report from Thurrott</a>, the digital-only device will carry a smaller pricetag – possibly as low as $200 – in an attempt to lower the cost-of-entry to the Xbox One family of systems.</p>
<p>Thurrott also states that Microsoft will introduce a "disc-to-digital" program, which will allow players to trade their discs in to participating retailers in exchange for a digital version of that game.</p>
<p>At E3 this year, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/e3-2018/2018/06/10/microsoft-teases-work-on-new-consoles-and-streaming-services">Microsoft teased its next generation of hardware</a>, which <a href="https://www.thurrott.com/xbox/161161/microsoft-confirms-xbox-scarlet-new-game-streaming-service#" target="_blank">Thurrott originally reported</a> was <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/e3-2018/2018/06/11/report-microsofts-next-console-is-codenamed-scarlet">codenamed "Scarlett</a>." This disc-less Xbox One system is not a part of that family, according to this report.</p>
<p>Microsoft originally launched Xbox One in 2013 with a bundled Kinect sensor at $499, which was $100 more than PlayStation 4 at launch. While many reasons have been attributed to PlayStation 4's sales lead this generation, the price point has been often cited as a contributing factor. Not long after launch, Microsoft began selling Xbox Ones without the Kinect at a lower price, before <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/10/25/microsoft-stops-making-the-kinect.aspx">discontinuing the Kinect all together in 2017</a>. Microsoft currently sells four Xbox One models: three different Xbox One S models (500GB, 1TB, and 2TB) and one Xbox One X model (1TB). The prices currently range from $299 for a 500GB Xbox One S to $499 for the Xbox One X.</p>
<p>We've reached out to Microsoft and will update this story if we receive a comment.</p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="https://www.thurrott.com/xbox/192184/microsofts-building-a-disc-less-xbox-one-for-release-in-2019#" target="_blank">Thurrott</a>]</em></p>
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<p><strong>Our Take</strong><br /><em>Platform holders have been pushing toward a digital future for a while, so this report makes sense. However, Microsoft needs to reduce the downtime errors for digital purchases before this is a completely viable option. Just last week, <a href="https://twitter.com/XboxSupport/status/1059979398265344000" target="_blank">a widespread outage</a> rendered many players unable to start any owned digital games on their hard drives for the majority of an evening. Still, if the reports are true and this new Xbox One is not only cheaper, but Microsoft begins an initiative allowing players to trade discs in for digital versions, it could resonate with players who haven't yet pulled the trigger on Microsoft's current console.</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 13:43:08 CSTBrian Shea91384Pokémon Anime Opening Recreated Using Gameplay From Let's Go, Pikachu & Eevee
https://www.gameinformer.com/gamer-culture/2018/11/16/pokemon-anime-opening-recreated-using-gameplay-from-lets-go-pikachu-eevee
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/16/2b58c5c0/rocket.jpg" width="800" height="439" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee launch today, and the Pokémon team is celebrating with a fun video recreating the original opening to the animated series.</p>
<p>Since the Let's Go games are remakes of Pokémon Yellow, the team layers on the nostalgia using the original anime theme song and does its best to stage the shots from the opening using in-game cutscenes and gameplay from the newly released Switch games. You can see the video below.</p>
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<p>Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu & Eevee is out today. To see us take on Mewtwo and use co-op play, check out <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/video-feature/new-gameplay-today/2018/11/16/new-gameplay-today-pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-eevee">this episode of New Gameplay Today</a>. To learn the pros and cons of the game as a whole, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-pokemon-lets-go-eevee/a-classic-evolved">check out our review</a>.</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 12:52:37 CSTBrian Shea91382Fallout 76 Players Record The First Nuke Drop And Hellish Endgame Battle
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/fallout-76-players-record-the-first-nuke-drop-and-hellish-endgame-battle
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/10/26/7ff2effd/Fallout76_B_1540295969.E.T.A._Nuked.jpeg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>A group of Fallout 76 players launched the first nuke of the game right at a fissure site. They triggered an event called Scorched Earth, which tasks the players to kill a level 95 scorchbeast queen in under thirty minutes. The crazy thing is, they did it, and you can watch the whole battle unfold. Just keep in mind that the video contains a lot of strong language and the audio seems to be a bit off in places.</p>
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<p>If you want to launch your own nukes in the wasteland, be prepared for a challenge. You first have to discover a silo which will have a unique code to unlock the launch sequence. Finding the codes can be tricky, since they only drop after you defeat certain enemies in the world. After collecting the entire sequence, you can choose where on the map you want to detonate the bomb.</p>
<p>If you are interested in seeing a more typical vault-dweller experience, watch us play three hours of the beta <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/2018/10/08/three-tantalizing-hours-with-fallout-76" target="_blank">here</a>. Fallout 76 is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.</p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDoshiqDeKs" target="_blank">Nickaroo93 on YouTube</a>]</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 12:38:15 CSTJill Grodt91381Gaming Heads Unveils Second Lara Croft Statue In Limited Edition Series
https://www.gameinformer.com/gamer-culture/2018/11/16/gaming-heads-unveils-second-lara-croft-statue-in-limited-edition-series
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/16/13a64cfc/tomb_raider.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><div class="inline-rich-content-placeholder"> </div>
<p>Gaming Heads has unveiled its second Lara Croft statue in a lineup of six to-be-revealed replicas based on the classic Tomb Raider games. Fans of the teflon Lara Croft days, can now preorder a 12-inch statue of Lara Croft from Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft. This is the second limited edition statue to be revealed after the first replica was unveiled back in March based on the first Tomb Raider game.</p>
<p>Gaming Heads has also released the full lineup to come which spans the gamut from 1996 all the way up to the modern day with the final statue being based off Lara Croft in Rise of the Tomb Raider. </p>
<p>The latest release comes in three different editions, each priced at $299.99. The regular statue has Lara wielding two Uzi pistols and is limited to 1,000 pieces worldwide. The exclusive version comes with an pair of interchangeable arms with Lara gripping a shotgun and is limited to 500 pieces. And the collective edition has both pairs of interchangeable arms but is left unpainted, for people to paint it to their own liking or optionally choose to have it painted like the first two editions. There are only 50 collective editions available worldwide.</p>
<p>These limited-edition statues celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic franchise. Fans preordering the Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft statue should expect the release around the second half of 2019. While the other four statues have yet to be unveiled, if you buy all six, each has been designed to fit with the others to act as “the ultimate tribute to Lara Croft.”</p>
<p>To preorder the statue, head <a href="https://www.gamingheads.com/tomb-raider-iii-adventures-of-lara-croft-regular.html" target="_blank">here</a> for the regular edition, <a href="https://www.gamingheads.com/tomb-raider-iii-adventures-of-lara-croft-exclusive.html" target="_blank">here</a> for the exclusive edition, and <a href="https://www.gamingheads.com/tomb-raider-iii-adventures-of-lara-croft-collective.html" target="_blank">here</a> for the collective edition.</p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="http://news.toyark.com/2018/11/15/tomb-raider-iii-adventures-of-lara-croft-statue-by-gaming-heads-323801" target="_blank">Toyark</a>]</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 12:30:37 CSTJP Gemborys91380One Piece: World Seeker Trailer Announces March Release Date, Shows Off Gum Gum Abilities And Skill Tree
https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2018/11/16/trailer-showcases-gum-gum-abilities-and-skill-tree
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/16/b87b9b02/gum_gum.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>Get ready to stretch and glide around as Luffy in a big open world, as One Piece: World Seeker has been slated for a March release.</p>
<p>The new trailer shows off Luffy's Gum Gum abilities he can use for exploration and traversal, as well as for combat. We also get a glimpse of the skill tree players can work through over the course of the adventure.</p>
<p>You can see these and more in the trailer below.</p>
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<p>One Piece: World Seeker launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on March 15.</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:55:40 CSTBrian Shea91379Report: Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver Closes
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/report-bandai-namco-studios-vancouver-closes
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</article><p>Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver has reportedly closed. The news comes from Tekken mobile game director and studio senior vice president <a href="https://twitter.com/Arc9ine/status/1063241404187475969" target="_blank">Landon Nguyen on Twitter</a>.</p>
<p>"I’m sad to announce that as of today Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver will be shutting down," Nguyen said in a tweet. "I want to thank everyone who came with us on this journey. We shipped some awesome experiences together. Thank you to all the fans who supported our games and our studio."</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">I’m sad to announce that as of today Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver will be shutting down. I want to thank everyone who came with us on this journey. We shipped some awesome experiences together. Thank you to all the fans who supported our games and our studio <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gamedev?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gamedev</a></p>
— Landon Nguyen (@Arc9ine) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arc9ine/status/1063241404187475969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The studio worked on multiple titles including the popular Pac-Man 256. The team was also responsible for Tekken Mobile, Tap My Katamari, and Pac-Man Bounce.</p>
<p>We've reached out to Bandai Namco for confirmation and comment. We will update this story if a statement is received.</p>
<p><em>[Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/Arc9ine/status/1063241404187475969" target="_blank">Landon Nguyen on Twitter</a>]</em></p>
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<p><strong>Our Take</strong><br /><em>It's always awful to learn about a studio closure, and this is no different. We hope those affected by the closure land on their feet and are able to find something new soon.</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:05:51 CSTBrian Shea91378Here Are All Of Red Dead Redemption II's Cheat Codes (So Far)
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/16/here-are-all-of-red-dead-redemption-iis-cheat-codes-so-far
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/10/24/3708aa03/RDR2_Screenshot%20208.jpg" width="800" height="450" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>Red Dead Redemption II has a lot going for it: beautiful story, brutal and gripping combat, fascinating realistic mechanics. Oh, and a bunch of cheat codes. You remember those right? It was before the days of being charged money for "EXP boosts" in games. Anyway, Red Dead Redemption II has a lot of them! Some of them still haven't been unlocked, but here's all of them for now and how you input them.</p>
<h2 class="subhead-aside">How To Input Codes</h2>
<p>To input cheats, do the following:</p>
<p>Go to settings. Look in the bottom right corner. You'll see the button you need to press to access the cheats menu (Triangle or Y depending on your platform). Press it. You'll come to a screen filled with locked codes. You need to input certain phrases to unlock them. Keep in mind, after you use a cheat, saving becomes disabled as do achievements/trophies.</p>
<h2 class="subhead-aside">The Cheats</h2>
<p>Here are the phrases you need to enter and their corresponding cheats.</p>
<ol><li><strong>Become instantly drunk</strong>: "A fool on command"</li>
<li><strong>Increase wanted level</strong>: "You want punishment"</li>
<li><strong>Decrease wanted level</strong>: "You want freedom"</li>
<li><strong>Own all outfits</strong>: "Vanity. All is vanity"</li>
<li><strong>Create a wagon</strong>: "Keep your dreams simple"</li>
<li><strong>Low honor</strong>: "You revel in your disgrace, I see" (Complete Chapter 1)</li>
<li><strong>Reset your honor</strong>: "Balance. All is balance"</li>
<li><strong>Max honor</strong>: "Virtue unearned is not virtue" (You need to complete Banking, The Old American Art)</li>
<li><strong>Get stealthy weapons</strong>: "Death is silence"</li>
<li><strong>Dead Eye Level 2</strong> : "Make me better"</li>
<li><strong>Dead Eye Level 3</strong>: "I shall be better"</li>
<li><strong>Dead Eye Level 4</strong>: "I still seek more"</li>
<li><strong>Dead Eye Level 5</strong>: "I seek and I find"</li>
<li><strong>Increase horse whistle range</strong>: "Better than my dog"</li>
<li><strong>Obtain standard weapons</strong>: "A simple life, a beautiful death"</li>
<li><strong>Create a horse race</strong>: "Run!Run!Run!"</li>
<li><strong>Increase horse bond</strong>: "My kingdom is a horse"</li>
<li><strong>Health + Stamina + Dead Eye are full</strong>: "You flourish before you die"</li>
<li><strong>Health+ Stamina+ Dead Eye are fortified</strong>: "You seek more than the world offers" (You need to own <em>New Hanover Gazette</em> No.36)</li>
<li><strong>Infinite Ammo</strong>: "Abundance is desire" (You need to own <em>New</em> <em>Hanover</em> <em>Gazette</em> No. <em>27)</em></li>
<li><strong>Heavy Ammo</strong>: "Greed is American Virtue" (You need to own <em>Saint Denis Times</em> No. 46)</li>
<li><strong>Get $500</strong>: "Greed is now a virtue"</li>
<li><strong>Learn all recipes</strong>: "Eat of knowledge"</li>
<li><strong>Infinite stamina</strong>: "The lucky be strong evermore" (You need to own <em>Blackwater Ledger</em> No.68)</li>
</ol><p>When further codes are discovered, we'll update our list.</p>
<p><em>For more on Red Dead Redemption II, check out our glowing <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/red-dead-redemption-ii/an-open-world-western-for-the-ages">review</a>.</em></p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:00:00 CSTJavy Gwaltney91371Science-Fiction Weekly – A Video Journey Into Fallout 76's Wasteland
https://www.gameinformer.com/column/science-fiction-weekly/2018/11/16/science-fiction-weekly-a-video-journey-into-fallout-76s
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/13/4e30f884/scififallout76.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>Fallout 76 is out now, and Game Informer's review is coming along...slowly. Bethesda Game Studios has crafted a massive open-world experience, and we want to subject ourselves to as much of it as we can before offering a verdict. My time with the game has bounced chaotically between good and bad, delivering enjoyable exploration that is eventually crushed by glitches, bugs, and puzzling balancing issues.</p>
<p>In the video below, Leo Vader joins me for a brief tour into the wasteland. My character is mid-level and I'm exploring the eastern region of the world. In our previous <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/2018/10/08/three-tantalizing-hours-with-fallout-76">three-hour video</a>, we showed off cooperative play extensively. I wanted to show off a little of the single-player experience, and what questing on your own can be like. Spoiler: It's a lot like Fallout 4.</p>
<p>If there's anything else you'd like to see, let us know in the comments section below. My play session is occurring around the clock, and I may be able to accommodate your requests.</p>
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Fri, 16 Nov 2018 09:54:00 CSTAndrew Reiner91330New Gameplay Today – Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
https://www.gameinformer.com/video-feature/new-gameplay-today/2018/11/16/new-gameplay-today-pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-eevee
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/15/62d42b31/pokemon-site.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>We may still have a while to wait for an all-new Pokémon game to hit Switch, but in the meantime, you can revisit the early days of the series with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee. These games are remakes of the first generation of Pokémon (specifically Yellow), but make several modernizations and take a few liberties.</p>
<p>Join us as we explain how Pokémon Go integration works in these games and take a stroll through Go Park, Pallet Town, and Viridian City. We also show off the drop-in co-op play in a battle against an Elite Four member. The episode culminates with a climactic (?) showdown with an overpowered Mewtwo.</p>
<p>Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee is out now for Switch. You can check out our review <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-pokemon-lets-go-eevee/a-classic-evolved">here</a>.</p>
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 02:01:00 CSTBrian Shea91372Killer7 Is Now Suddenly Available On Steam
https://www.gameinformer.com/psa/2018/11/15/killer7-is-now-suddenly-available-on-steam
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</article><p> Although we knew <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/05/26/killer7-is-coming-to-steam-this-fall.aspx">Killer7 was coming to Steam</a> right around now, we weren't sure when, exactly, that would be. Turns out, it's today.</p>
<p>As we mentioned in our recent <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/video-feature/2018/08/11/new-gameplay-today-killer7-pc">New Gameplay Today</a> of the game, the PC version is an up-res of the original that includes mouse and keyboard support for $20. You can also nab the game, its soundtrack (which is good if you like creepy ambient noises and club music alike), and digital artbook, for $30. You can grab it for a reduced price until November 22, however.</p>
<p>To see why at least one <em>Game Informer</em> editor thinks it's the greatest game of all time, watch our entire <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/06/03/super-replay-killer-7-episode-1.aspx">Super Replay</a> of the game, including a guest appearance by director Suda 51.</p>
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 18:15:04 CSTSuriel Vazquez91377GI Show – Pokémon: Let's Go, Battlefield V, Spyro Reignited Interview
https://www.gameinformer.com/video-podcast/the-game-informer-show/2018/11/15/gi-show-pokemon-lets-go-battlefield-v-spyro
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/11/15/1fefde4c/site-spyro.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>On this game-packed episode of The Game Informer Show podcast, Ben Hanson is joined by Brian Shea, Andrew Reiner, and Kyle Hilliard to talk about <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-pokemon-lets-go-eevee/a-classic-evolved">Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee</a>, the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA8Ey_zNe2w">bizarre Detective</a> Pikachu trailer, and work-in-progress impressions of Bethesda's Fallout 76. On this episode we also talk about the <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/spyro-reignited-trilogy/purple-reign">new remaster Spyro the Dragon</a>, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/tetris-effect/a-dazzling-reimagining">rave about Tetris Effect</a>, take a detour for <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/hitman-2/a-worthy-investment-for-expert-executioners">Hitman 2</a>, and get Matt Bertz to talk about his time reviewing DICE's Battlefield V. After some really fun community emails, we're joined by Toys For Bob's producer Peter Kavic and art director Josh Nadelberg to walk us through the process of creating the <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/spyro-reignited-trilogy/purple-reign">Spyro The Dragon Reignited Trilogy</a>.</p>
<p>You can watch the video below, <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/02/22/subscribe-to-the-game-informer-show-on-itunes.aspx">subscribe and listen to the audio on iTunes or Google Play</a>, <a href="https://gi9641r1.cachefly.net/gipodcast/412/412.mp3">listen to episode 424 on SoundCloud</a>, or <a href="https://gi9641r1.cachefly.net/gipodcast/424/424.mp3">download the MP3 by clicking here</a>. Also, be sure to send your questions to <a href="mailto:podcast@gameinformer.com">podcast@gameinformer.com</a> for a chance to have them answered on the show.</p>
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<p><i>Our thanks to the talented Super Marcato Bros. for The Game Informer Show's intro song. <a href="http://www.supermarcatobros.com/">You can hear more of their original tunes and awesome video game music podcast at their website.</a></i></p>
<p><em>To jump to a particular point in the discussion, check out the time stamps below...</em></p>
<p><em>2:55 - </em> <em>Pokémon</em>: <em>Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee</em><br /><em>16:15 - Detective Pikachu<br />
21:45 - Fallout 76<br />
26:30 - Spyro Reignited Trilogy<br />
40:15 - Overkill's The Walking Dead<br />
42:40 - Tetris Effect<br />
59:45 - Hitman 2<br />
1:18:20 - The Quiet Man<br />
1:20:40 - Battlefield V<br />
1:31:00 - Community emails<br />
2:26:26 - Toys For Bob's Peter Kavic and Josh Nadelberg on creating the Spyro Reignited Trilogy</em></p>
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 16:22:00 CSTBen Hanson91358Sunset Overdrive Is Officially Coming to PC Tomorrow
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/15/sunset-overdrive-is-officially-coming-to-pc-tomorrow
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</article><p><strong>Update 11/5: </strong>Microsoft's Larry Hryb has confirmed via Twitter the game is indeed coming to PC, and that it's out tomorrow. Insomniac Games will be on tomorrow's This Week On Xbox to talk about the game hitting the platform.</p>
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<p><strong>Original Story: </strong>It's been rumored for years, but a PC release for Sunset Overdrive has finally been shown via a store listing from Amazon. The title had listings from <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/05/23/korean-ratings-board-suggests-sunset-overdrive-might-be-coming-to-pc.aspx">the Korean Ratings Board</a>, the ESRB, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/report/2018/11/05/sunset-overdrive-is-likely-heading-to-pc-update-steam-listing">and even on Steam</a>, but it has taken until now for real concrete information on the PC version to materialize.</p>
<p>The Amazon listing indicates that the PC port will include all the DLC content from the Xbox One release. The release date on the store page shows November 16, only a few days from now, and that it will cost $19.99.</p>
<p>Curiously, none of the parties that you would think would be involved in this port have actually acknowledged it. Neither Microsoft, Insomniac, nor the PC version's apparent publisher of THQ Nordic have confirmed the PC port's existence, despite the fact that Amazon is taking pre-orders for later this week. THQ Nordic previously announced a deal to bring Xbox One exclusives to PC, such as Recore, so that aspect is not surprising.</p>
<p>It is unclear if and when the relevant companies involved will acknowledge the release or if Amazon just happens to be weirdly off-base here, but it appears that Sunset Overdrive is on its way in a matter of days, at least right now.</p>
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 16:01:49 CSTImran Khan91321Sony Interactive Entertainment Is Not Attending E3 In 2019
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/15/sony-interactive-entertainment-is-not-attending-e3-in-2019
<img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-media.gameinformer.com/styles/body_default/s3/2018/09/13/32e81f08/ps4stock.jpg" width="800" height="368" typeof="Image" class="image-style-body-default" /><p>The history of the Electronic Entertainment Expo is as long as it is circuitous. The annual event has traditionally brought the entire gaming industry together as developers and publishers fight for attention both on and off the show floor through announcements, trailers, and pomp and circumstance. The displays of grandeur have ebbed and flowed over the course of E3's soon-to-be 25-year history, with different companies occasionally reconsidering the extent of their involvement in the show. Now one of its biggest players, Sony, has decided that PlayStation will not be attending E3 in 2019.</p>
<p>“As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community," the company told <em>Game Informer</em> in a statement. "PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can’t wait to share our plans with you.”</p>
<p>When asked if Sony would push its event off-site, similar to how Electronic Arts provides a show adjacent to E3, PlayStation senior vice president of communications Jennifer Clark elaborated further saying, "We will not activate or hold a press conference around E3."</p>
<p>Sony's withdrawal from E3 likely comes as a disappointment to fans that look forward to the company's stage show as a centerpiece for the expo as a whole. From huge announcements like Spider-Man and Horizon: Zero Dawn to tense, on-stage demos like The Last of Us, Sony has always brought a certain flair to the show. The press conference battle between Microsoft and Sony, especially once Nintendo changed to a video format, is often the talk of E3.</p>
<p>The announcement comes after <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/09/28/no-playstation-experience-convention-in-2018">Sony declined to hold their annual fan event called PlayStation Experience</a>, or PSX, this year, which usually takes place in the first two weeks of December. Sony Interactive Entertainment chairman Shawn Layden said at the time that there simply was not enough to show this year, a problem that fans also pointed out during the previous year's more low-key event. </p>
<p>The official statement suggests that Sony plans to engage the community in other events. Does this mean Sony will be reviving the currently shuttered PlayStation Experience? "We are looking at events as a whole and how we can speak more to our fans and continue to wow them. The timing of PSX and E3 didn't allow for that," Clark replied. "But lots of exciting things to come, and we hope to share shortly. Some of our biggest games will have key milestones next year so we will work hard to blow those up."</p>
<p>The Entertainment Software Association, or ESA, has hosted E3 since its inception in 1995. The trade association is made up of the video game industry's largest and most notable publishers, including Sony Interactive Entertainment, and has recently made moves to transition E3 from less of an industry event to a fan-inclusive one. We reached out to the ESA about Sony's announcement, and were informed they plan to release a statement later today.</p>
<p>What do you think about Sony pulling away from E3 in 2019? Does it change your view of the show? Let us know below in the comments.</p>
<p><em>Andy McNamara provided additional reporting for this article.</em></p>
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<div class="ourtake">This news will escalate the feeling among many that E3 has simply lessened in importance in recent years. Of course, that remains to be seen since the show has been evolving into a more consumer-focused event. Sony could take this opportunity to build a fan expo like BlizzCon, which takes place when the timing is right for Sony. Or the platform holder could go the more direct route like Nintendo, leveraging its own social channels to promote its products globally. The other side of that argument is that E3 is when the industry has the world's attention, and Sony could be missing out on that opportunity.</div>
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 15:06:00 CSTImran Khan91351You Can Order A Bottle Of Assassin's Creed Wine For A Limited Time
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/15/you-can-order-a-bottle-of-assassins-creed-wine-for-a-limited-time
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</article><p>Ubisoft is working with winemaker Lot18 to bottle the most wine-worthy protagonists of the Assassin's Creed series for a limited time. Aveline, Arno, Altaïr, Bayek, Connor, and Ezio are each getting their own label.</p>
<p>Many Assassin's Creed characters inhabit locations world-famous for their wine, like Italy and France. As for the others, it seems like Ubisoft decided they had spirits worthy of some spirits. Here is the full wine list Lot18 is producing:</p>
<ul><li>2017 Aveline de Grandpré Appellation Côtes du Rhône Contrôlée</li>
<li>2017 Arno Dorian Qualitätswein Niederösterreich Zweigelt</li>
<li>2017 Altaïr Ibn-La'ahad Loire Valley IGP Cabernet Franc</li>
<li>2015 Bayek of Siwa Spanish Tempranillo</li>
<li>2016 Connor Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon</li>
<li>2015 Ezio Auditore Super Tuscan Red Blend</li>
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<p>Bottles are only available so long as the supplies last, so if you want to pick up a handy gift for a wine and Assassin's Creed lover, head over to Lot18.com/AssassinsCreed. Individual bottles will set you back $20, and there are various bundles available as well. </p>
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 14:44:04 CSTJill Grodt91370Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aimé Says There Are Currently No Plans For An N64 Classic
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/15/nintendos-reggie-fils-aime-says-there-are-currently-no-plans-for-an-n64-classic
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</article><p>In a recent interview with <em><a href="https://kotaku.com/nintendo-s-reggie-fils-aime-on-hopes-for-an-n64-classic-1830465672" target="_blank">Kotaku</a></em> to advertise Nintendo’s upcoming holiday lineup, Nintendo of America president, Reggie Fils-Aimé said that there are currently no plans for an N64 Classic.</p>
<p>“We were clear when we did the first two Classic series that, for us, these were limited time opportunities that were a way for us as a business to bridge from the conclusion of Wii U as a hardware system to the launch of Nintendo Switch,” he said. “That was the very strategic reason we launched the NES Classic system.”</p>
<p>When asked if it was a possibility, the CEO said “I would not ever rule something out, but what I can tell you is certainly that’s not in our planning horizon.”</p>
<p>In the interview, Fils-Aimé also outlined the future for the company’s retro titles, which have become increasingly more difficult to come by with the company’s <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/13/couple-ordered-to-pay-nintendo-12-million-for-running-illegal-rom-sites" target="_blank">crackdown</a> on pirated ROM sites. Currently, the Switch’s new subscription service, <a href="https://www.nintendo.com/switch/online-service/nes/" target="_blank">Nintendo Switch Online</a>, consists of only 26 classic NES titles, and only just launched in September. Pointing to the subscription services and the other two Classic systems, Fils-Aimé said their current focus is to complete the NES catalog before they start bringing retro games from other systems to the Switch.</p>
<p>During the interview Fils-Aimé also praised the new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate single-player campaign, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/nintendo-direct/2018/11/01/the-universe-explodes-and-everyone-dies-in-super-smash-bros-ultimates" target="_blank">World of Light</a>, and discussed plans for post-launch DLC characters, saying "there will be no fan polls."</p>
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<p><strong>Our Take</strong><br /><em>Given the release of two back-to-back Classic systems from 2016 to 2017, it is somewhat surprising to hear that there are no plans for an N64 iteration. It seems fans will just have to be patient with Nintendo when it comes to getting their retro fix. </em></p>
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:35:00 CSTJP Gemborys91365Narcos-Themed Strategy Game Announced For 2019
https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/11/15/narcos-themed-strategy-game-announced-for-2019
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</article><p>A day before the next chapter of the cocaine-dusted, blood-monied Netflix original, <a href="https://twitter.com/NarcosNetflix/status/1052922247374098433" target="_blank"><em>Narcos</em></a>, is revealed, award-winning UK publisher Curve Digital has announced they and their sister company Kuju Entertainment will be developing a <em>Narcos</em>-themed strategy game for 2019.</p>
<p>In Narcos: Rise of the Cartel, players will assume the role of the Medellin Cartel or DEA in a “brutal” turn-based strategy game. Following the events of the show, Narcos: Rise of the Cartel is slated to release at the end of 2019 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. </p>
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<p>Currently, it's unknown whether or not you'll be able to play as Pablo Escobar. </p>
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:33:49 CSTJP Gemborys91368Blizzard's Cinematics Team Would Love To Make A Film
https://www.gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2018/11/15/blizzards-cinematics-team-would-love-to-make-a-film
<p>While visiting Blizzard for our latest <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/warcraft3">cover story on Warcraft III: Reforged,</a> we sat down the studio's VP of story and franchise development Jeff Chamberlain to talk about creating both the original and the updated Warcraft III cinematics (<a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2018/11/12/how-blizzard-created-warcraft-iiis-classic-cinematics">which you can watch here</a>). At the tail end of our discussion, we brought up the frequently-asked question about whether Blizzard would ever create a full-length CG film. Watch the video above to learn why Chamberlain thinks that making a film is an "awesome challenge" that the team would love to tackle someday... and what Blizzard thought of 2001's <em>Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within</em>.</p>
<p>Click on our banner below to enter our constantly updating hub of exclusive features on Warcraft III: Reforged.</p>
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Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:20:22 CSTBen Hanson91366